Steel Mills
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/media/k2/items/src/65eaaa8dcaf7b90afdbd6863e860077a.jpg)
Intellectual Property Dispute Ruled in Favor of US Steel Canada
Written by Sandy Williams
June 14, 2016
An attempt by US Steel to prevent US Steel Canada from continuing to use processes the parent company developed for high strength steels, has been thwarted by the Ontario Superior Court.
US Steel claims it owns the intellectual property used by USSC, including the processes used to produce various grades of advanced high strength steel. A Transition Arrangement between USSC and US Steel Corp. was established in October 2015 in which the parties agreed to resolve issues on property rights by December 31, 2015.
The agreement said: “Until closing of a transaction to sell all or substantially all assets of USSC, USSC is permitted to continue to use all intellectual property currently used by or available to it and owned or licensed by USS, if any, necessary to operate its business in the ordinary course, including retaining the right to use the name and brand ‘Stelco.’”
In May 2016, US Steel wrote to USSC counsel claiming again ownership of the intellectual property used by USSC and contested USSC’s entitlement to convey the rights to it in a sale of the company.
US Steel Canada filed a motion with the Ontario Superior Court on May 30 asking for the court to establish a claims process to identify and determine the intellectual property rights claimed by former parent corporation US Steel.
In an email last week a spokesperson for US Steel Canada commented on the motion, “It is worthy of note that it is USSC that has brought this matter before the Court to seek clarity on the issue. To date, no mutually acceptable resolution has been reached during good faith discussions as USS has not provided sufficient information regarding the nature of their claims, the specific trade secrets in question, nor the basis for their allegations.”
US Steel requested the motion be denied, claiming that the process would require a “significant amount of time and effort on behalf of USS.”
“Such an exercise is both unreasonable and unnecessary as it does not make sense to waste time and expense identifying potential intellectual property claims which may not be contested by USSC and may
have no bearing on the SISP,” wrote counsel for US Steel.
US Steel Canada prevailed with Justice Wilton Siegel defining the IP claims process. US Steel was ordered to provide to USSC by June 17 a description of all the intellectual property it is claiming. USSC is to review the information with the court-appointed monitor and any continuing disputes will be settled in court in July.
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/sandy-williams.jpeg)
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Mills
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/images/Featured_News_Icons/stelco.png)
Steel Summit 2024: Stelco CEO reflects on strategy, growth, and sale to Cleveland-Cliffs
In a candid fireside chat with SMU Senior Analyst/Editor David Schollert, Stelco’s CEO Alan Kestenbaum opened up about Stelco’s pending sale to Cliffs, his business strategy, outlook for the industry, and plans for the future. The chat took place on Tuesday, Aug. 24, at the 2024 SMU Steel Summit in Atlanta.
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/images/Featured_News_Icons/AISI.png)
AISI: US steel shipments unchanged in July vs. June, down on-year
Domestic steel shipments remained nearly flat in July month over month but fell from a year earlier.
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/images/Featured_News_Icons/white_house.png)
Media reports: Biden could block USS sale on national security concerns
President Joe Biden could block the $15-billion sale of U.S. Steel to Japan's Nippon Steel by citing national security concerns That’s according to reporting in the Washington Post and the Financial Times that was later picked up by the New York Times as well as in wire services.
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/images/Featured_News_Icons/US_Steel.png)
USS threatens to cut ‘thousands’ of jobs, move HQ if Nippon sale blocked
U.S. Steel could slash thousands of jobs, shift away from integrated steelmaking, and move its headquarters out of Pittsburgh if its acquisition by Nippon Steel isn’t completed, the company’s top executive said. “We want elected leaders and other key decision makers to recognize the benefits of the deal was well as the unavoidable consequences if the deal fails,” company President and CEO David Burritt said in a statement on Wednesday.
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/images/Featured_News_Icons/SSAB.png)
CRU: SSAB to expand Mobile plate mill
SSAB plans to spend $12 million to boost production capacity at its electric-arc furnace (EAF) plate mill in Mobile, Ala. The Sweden-based steelmaker will do that by expanding the existing furnace there. Shot blast equipment will also be upgraded. The expanded capacity is expected to come online late next year. The mill currently has an […]