Intellectual property - the most tangible of intangible assets
The new DSM strategy, with its focus on maximizing the company’s sustainable and profitable growth, requires careful and pro-active management of Intellectual Property (IP). IP is sometimes described as ‘the most tangible of intangible assets’.
DSM currently owns more than 15,000 patents, covering over 2,600 individual inventions. In 2009 we filed some 300 new patent applications. Our patent activities cover over 100 countries across the globe. With the emergence of High Growth Economies we’re focusing our attention for IP positions towards Asia - and especially China. DSM patents in China are set to be a crucial asset for our company.
The strategic shift in DSM’s portfolio towards specialty products has driven an increasing interest in trademarks and branding. Products with a distinct brand personality are of paramount importance to DSM’s business success: they capture the added value created by DSM’s portfolio. These brands sum up who we are, what we stand for and what we aim to achieve for our stakeholders.
New patent applications
DSM filed about 240 patents in 2010, compared to about 300 in 2009. In addition to filing its own patents, DSM strengthened its Intellectual Property position through in-licensing of IP positions. This is a logical outcome of DSM's open innovation strategy, in which the company’s own R&D efforts and patent filings are complemented by in-licensing of patents that have been filed by other companies.
