Kao withdraws infringement lawsuits against Henkel
Lawsuits in Germany and Japan settled
Kao Corporation has withdrawn the lawsuits it filed against German manufacturer Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and its Japanese subsidiary Schwarzkopf & Henkel K.K., after claiming intellectual property infringement in March 2011.
Japan’s cosmetic giant Kao filed an infringement lawsuit regarding foam type hair colour products Perfect Mousse and Fresh Light Foam Type Color, in Germany and Japan respectively last year. The lawsuits sought an injunction on the sale of the products and a declaration that Henkel would be liable for damages in the Regional Court of Düsseldorf, while a separate infringement lawsuit sought a preliminary injunction of the sale of the products against Schwarzkopf & Henkel KK in the Tokyo District Court.
Due to contractual obligations, the details of the final settlement, which is based on a license from Kao to Henkel, are confidential.