AutoStore and Ocado settle all patent litigation
AutoStore Holdings and Ocado Group have announced a complete settlement of all claims between the companies in their global patent dispute, avoiding further litigation and associated costs.
THE PRINCIPAL terms of the agreement are:
● All patent litigation claims withdrawn globally
● Mutually beneficial global cross-licence of each other's pre 2020 patents
● Both companies can continue to use and market all their own existing products without challenge
● Ocado retains exclusive rights to the Single Space Robot
● AutoStore will pay £200 million to Ocado in instalments over 2 years
While the agreement gives both companies access to parts of each other's patent portfolios for them to use or develop their own products, it does not provide for collaboration or technology assistance between the companies or access to actual products.
The other terms of the agreement remain confidential.
Tim Steiner, CEO of Ocado, said: “I am pleased we have been able to settle the disputes in a constructive and collaborative manner. We can now each move forward and concentrate on providing our partners with world beating technology.”
Mats Hovland Vikse, CEO of AutoStore, said: “We are glad to have achieved a resolution that gives both companies opportunity and freedom to commercialise our extensive patent portfolios. This settlement resolves our differences and allows us to continue focusing on our respective business goals.”
