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UPC CFI 340/2023

Sep 29, 2023·EP2548648 · Mill for comminuting of material

Action number: ACT 576606/2023

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Case details
Status
Case Closed (No infringement)Set aside on appeal, Feb 17, 2026
Action
Infringement
Category
Main infringement action
Parties
Claimants
Representatives
Respondents
Representatives
Division
Mannheim LD
Judges
Technology
  • Chemistry
    Chemical engineering
Language
German
First decided
Jan 31, 2025
Appealed
How this compares
The court's record for this kind of case, counted in first-instance rulings. A figure in brackets is the number of rulings a rate rests on.
Infringement foundMedian days to first decision
All UPC53% (62/117)124
Mannheim LDLockedLocked
Judge Peter TochtermannLockedLocked
Judge Holger KircherLockedLocked
Judge Margot KokkeLockedLocked
Judge Nicolai GeierLockedLocked

At the UPC: Rematec GmbH & Co KG (11 cases)·Europe Forestry B.V. (14 cases)

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Related cases
All proceedings on this patent

This dispute contains 10 other proceedings

UPC CoA 88/2026·UPC CoA 89/2026·UPC CFI 1297/2026·UPC CFI 1298/2026·UPC CFI 978/2026 and 5 more

3 other defendants litigating the same or a related patent

UPC CFI 244/2025·UPC CFI 193/2025·CC 7594/2024

Start a free trial to see how each one ended.

More cases: Mannheim LD·2023

Decisions
  • 2025-01-31
    Infringement ActionPublic

    Summary: The Mannheim Local Division revoked EP 2 548 648 (a wood/biomass shredder patent) in its entirety for lack of inventive step across 13 UPC member states, and dismissed the infringement action as a consequence; the claimant Rematec was ordered to bear 75% of costs.

    Show the legal issues (3)
    • Patent revocation for lack of inventive step
    • Infringement dismissed following revocation
    • Prior art analysis (shredder element orientation)
Documents
Document titleDatePublic
Order2026-05-22Not public
Order2026-05-22Public
Service Receipt/Service Document2026-05-11Not public
Other Documents2026-04-27Not public
Receipt2026-04-17Not public
Cover sheet2026-04-17Not public
Fee2026-04-17Not public
Proof of payment2026-04-17Not public
Exhibit Claimant2026-04-17Not public
Exhibit Claimant2026-04-17Not public
Exhibit Claimant2026-04-17Not public
Exhibit Claimant2026-04-17Not public
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Exhibit Claimant2026-04-17Not public
Exhibit Claimant2026-04-17Not public
Exhibit Claimant2026-04-17Not public
Exhibit Claimant2026-04-17Not public
Exhibit Claimant2026-04-17Not public
Exhibit Claimant2026-04-17Not public
Application document Claimant2026-04-17Not public
Receipt2026-03-18Not public
Cover sheet2026-03-18Not public
Exhibit Applicant2026-03-18Not public
Exhibit Applicant2026-03-18Not public
Exhibit Applicant2026-03-18Not public
Exhibit Applicant2026-03-18Not public
Exhibit Applicant2026-03-18Not public
Exhibit Applicant2026-03-18Not public
Application document Applicant2026-03-18Not public
Receipt2025-03-19Not public
Receipt2025-03-19Not public
Anlagenkonvolut KFA12025-03-18Not public
Anlagenkonvolut KFA12025-03-18Not public
Anlagenkonvolut KFA22025-03-18Not public
Anlage WEA32025-03-18Not public
Anlage WEA12025-03-18Not public
Anlage KFA32025-03-18Not public
Anlage WEA22025-03-18Not public
Antrag gem. R. 9 VerfO2025-03-18Not public
Anlage WEA22025-03-18Not public
Anlage WEA32025-03-18Not public
Anlagenkonvolut KFA22025-03-18Not public
Anlage WEA12025-03-18Not public
Anlagenkonvolut KFA32025-03-18Not public
Anlagenkonvolut KFA12025-03-18Not public
Antrag gem. R. 320 und 151 VerfO2025-03-18Not public
Anlagenkonvolut KFA12025-03-18Not public
DecisionOutcome2025-01-31Not public
Entscheidung2025-01-31Public
576606_2023_IC_MANLOC_UPC202410022PM2024-12-20Not public
576606_2023_IC_MANLOC_UPC202410022PM2024-12-20Not public
Interim-Procedure-Closure2024-11-22Not public
Summon-Oral-Hearing2024-11-22Not public
Zwischenverfahren2024-11-22Public
Template-Order2024-11-22Not public
Hearing-Dates2024-11-22Not public
Zwischenverfahren2024-11-22Public
Art. 33 Abs. 3 UPCA2024-11-22Public
576606_2023_IC_MANLOC_UPC202410022PM2024-11-05Not public
576606_2023_IC_MANLOC_UPC202410022PM2024-11-05Not public
Fix-Interim-Conference-Date2024-09-25Not public
interimConferenceDecision2024-09-25Not public
writtenProcedureClosure2024-09-25Not public
Hearing-Dates2024-09-25Not public
R-282024-09-25Public
Hearing-Dates2024-09-25Not public
Acknowledgement-of-lodging2024-06-17Not public
ACT_576606_2023_Duplik_17_6_2024_E40278_ST2024-06-17Not public
BB192024-06-17Not public
BB182024-06-17Not public
BB162024-06-17Not public
BB172024-06-17Not public
Panel-Appointment2024-06-12Not public
Acknowledgement-of-lodging2024-04-15Not public
Anlage K352024-04-15Not public
Anlage K332024-04-15Not public
Anlage K422024-04-15Not public
Anlage K412024-04-15Not public
Anlage K402024-04-15Not public
Anlage K342024-04-15Not public
Anlage K382024-04-15Not public
Anlage K52024-04-15Not public
Anlage K372024-04-15Not public
Anlage K362024-04-15Not public
Replik2024-04-15Not public
Anlage K392024-04-15Not public
Receipt2024-02-20Not public
Anlage A22024-02-19Not public
Anlage A32024-02-19Not public
Antrag auf Akteneinsicht und Zustellungsdatum2024-02-19Not public
Anlage A12024-02-19Not public
Formal-checks_Notification-of-positive-outcome2024-02-13Not public
Acknowledgement-of-lodging2024-02-12Not public
BB32024-02-12Not public
BB132024-02-12Not public
BB102024-02-12Not public
BB122024-02-12Not public
BB12024-02-12Not public
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BB62024-02-12Not public
BB82024-02-12Not public
BB42024-02-12Not public
Klageerwiderung2024-02-12Not public
BB142024-02-12Not public
BB152024-02-12Not public
Acknowledgement of access to case2023-12-27Not public
Angabe Bereich des techn. Richters2023-12-06Not public
Fristsetzung R.332023-11-28Not public
Notification Of Service2023-11-28Not public
Beleg Zustellung2023-11-28Not public
Zustellnachweis2023-11-28Not public
epoUploadDocumentsWorkflow2023-10-12Not public
Document from EPO2023-10-11Not public
Panel-Appointment2023-10-02Not public
EPO-Request-for-case-pending2023-10-02Not public
Receipt2023-10-02Not public
Formal-checks_Notification-of-positive-outcome2023-10-02Not public
Acknowledgement-of-lodging2023-09-27Not public
K31 Wikipedia_Hackschnitzel2023-09-27Not public
K3 - Webseite_Rematec_Hammermuehlen2023-09-27Not public
K22 Webseite_Europe_Forestry_news2023-09-27Not public
K14 Duden Sieb2023-09-27Not public
K20 Brochure Europe Grinders2023-09-27Not public
K30 Weiteres Schreiben vom 24.08.20232023-09-27Not public
K9 US4037799A2023-09-27Not public
K23 Gescannte_Brochure_Europe_Grinders2023-09-27Not public
K10 Datenblatt_Rematec_Sieb_Hammermuehle2023-09-27Not public
K1 Prozessbevollmächtigung2023-09-27Not public
K6_Nationale Registerauszuege2023-09-27Not public
K29 Weiteres Schreiben vom 18.08.20232023-09-27Not public
K17 Standbilder aus K162023-09-27Not public
K5 - Klagepatent_EP2548648B12023-09-27Not public
K8 EP0164489A22023-09-27Not public
K7 DE3020955A12023-09-27Not public
K26 Gegenueberstellung2023-09-27Not public
K15 Webseite_Europe_Forestry_Europe_Grinders2023-09-27Not public
Rematec ./. Europe Forestry2023-09-27Not public
K32 Oenorm_M_71332023-09-27Not public
K28 Erwiderung2023-09-27Not public
K21 Webseite_Europe_Forestry_dealers_europe2023-09-27Not public
K25 Webseite Bomastaal2023-09-27Not public
K24 E-Mailkonversation mit Herrn Veurink2023-09-27Not public
K11 Webshops_Hammermuehlensiebe2023-09-27Not public
K12 Wikipedia_Artikel_Hammermuehle2023-09-27Not public
K19 Standbilder aus K182023-09-27Not public
K4 - Datenblatt_Rematec_RPM2023-09-27Not public
K27 Abmahnung2023-09-27Not public
K13 Merkmalsgliederung2023-09-27Not public
Coverage: Partial.Reasoning extracted with partial coverage — some sections may be incomplete.
Plain-English summary

Rematec brought an infringement action against Europe Forestry B.V. regarding its wood/biomass shredder patent EP 2 548 648. The Mannheim Local Division found the patent invalid for lack of inventive step over D3 (which prompted the skilled person to address cutting element orientation) combined with D9 (which showed 45-degree oblique ribs in fibrous wood grinding), and revoked it across 13 UPC member states. The infringement action was dismissed as a consequence and Rematec was ordered to bear 75% of costs.

Accepted arguments
What the court agreed with — by party.

  • EP 2 548 648 lacks inventive step over D3 combined with D9 for the shredder tooth/cutting element orientation feature (Merkmal 1m)

    RespondentLegal basis: Art. 56 EPC

    Note: The Mannheim Local Division found that D3 taught the skilled person that the choice and arrangement of tearing/cutting elements must be coordinated, prompting the skilled person to consult D9, which showed oblique ribs at approximately 45 degrees to the circumferential direction of the rotor in fibrous wood material grinding, corresponding to feature 1m.

Rejected arguments
What the court did not agree with — and why.

  • Patent EP 2 548 648 is valid and infringement claims should be upheld

    ClaimantLegal basis: Art. 56 EPC

    Reason: The patent was found invalid for lack of inventive step and revoked in its entirety; infringement action was dismissed as a consequence.

Key legal principles
Doctrines and rules cited in the reasoning.
problem-solution approach for inventive stepmotivation to combine prior art referencesrevocation of patent defeats pending infringement action

Browse other cases on this principle.

Prior art relied on
References cited and the role they played.
  • D3 (unspecified publication, shredder/mill technology)Obviousness combination
  • D9 (unspecified publication, fibrous wood material grinding with oblique ribs/strips)Obviousness combination
Claim construction notes

The court analysed feature 1m of EP 2 548 648 (mill for comminuting material, particularly biomass/wood), which concerns the angular arrangement of tearing and/or cutting elements at the inner wall of the grinding chamber relative to the circumferential direction of the rotor. The court found that D9 discloses oblique strips/ribs at approximately 45 degrees in a fibrous wood material grinder, corresponding to feature 1m.