BASF has successfully taken its case against Sherwood Chemicals to court.
BASF has taken steps to prevent infringement of a family of patents, in this instance covering a ready-to-use foamable pesticide composition containing the active ingredient fipronil. The dispute has been resolved. Sherwood Chemicals Australasia Pty Ltd has published a notice stating that its Ultraforce Products containing fipronil will not be available for sale or offered for sale in Australia.
Fipronil is the active ingredient in a range of BASF products, including Adonis, Regent, Termidor and Cosmos. Its key applications provide effective solutions against insect pests in crops, such as cotton, vegetables, bananas and mushrooms, and for the protection of industrial and residential property against termites.
“We can only support professional pest management, rural hygiene, stored products and public health with cutting edge chemistry and technology, if we continue to invest in new, high-performing solutions,” said Gavin Jackson, head of BASF’s Agriculture business in Australia and New Zealand.
“In 2016 alone, BASF’s Crop Protection division spent €489 million on R&D and it will continue to invest approximately 9% of its sales in R&D.
“To be able to continue such substantial investment in the future of sustainable agriculture and healthy environments, we must protect our innovations to the fullest of our capabilities.
“The steps taken against Sherwood Chemicals Australasia Pty Ltd and previous court cases demonstrate BASF’s determination to enforce its intellectual property rights and to ensure that only the highest quality ingredients are present in Australia’s top brands and formulations.”
