SHELTON, Conn.-- Baldwin Technology, a global leader in process automation technology for the printing industry, announced today that the German Federal Supreme Court in Karlsruhe has upheld the validity of a Baldwin Germany GmbH patent (European Patent 0 602 312), which was the subject of an invalidity action brought by technotrans AG, with a minor modification in claim 1 and claim 6. This ruling upheld the decision handed down by the Federal Patent Court in Munich in July 2004, when that court rejected the invalidity action brought by technotrans.

The Supreme Court decision is consistent with the 2002 decision by the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court (OLG) that technotrans AG had infringed Baldwin's European Patent 0 602 312 and held that their ruling could not be appealed (non-admittance). technotrans has requested the German Federal Supreme Court to overrule the decision of non-admittance and allow it to appeal the infringement decision; however, the German Federal Supreme Court had stayed the appeal proceedings to await the outcome of the invalidity action.

The validity of Baldwin's patent has now been confirmed by the highest civil court in Germany.  This decision is final.  Pending a favorable decision of the German Federal Supreme Court on non-admittance, Baldwin intends to pursue its Euro 32.7 million claim for damages against technotrans.