Recent Patenting Activity in Electrolytic Aluminium Production Technology

Companies and research organizations in the aluminium industry have a number of different strategies for protecting their new developments. Many research organizations have a patent focused strategy to facilitate commercialization of their new technologies. Conversely, primary aluminium producers tend to use patent protection more selectively, as they are able to use other Intellectual Property protection means such as trade secrets to protect their developments. This paper provides an overview of international patent publications from 1995 to 2008 in the field of electrolytic aluminium production and comments on perceived factors driving IP protection of these developments.