LG Energy Solution's Ochang plant in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province / Courtesy of LG Energy Solution

LG Energy Solution (LGES) siad that it will take strong action against the widespread unauthorized use of its patented battery technologies, to maintain its technological edge as a leading battery maker and lead the way in fostering fair competition in the fast-growing industry, the company said Wednesday.

The battery unit of LG Group said it plans to take a hard stance against companies illegally using its patented technologies, through lawsuits and warnings. This policy comes as LGES continues to see increasing infringement of its intellectual property (IP) rights by other companies.

"The company sees a rising tide of latecomers' deliberate and blatant unauthorized use of its patents across a wide range of commercialized products, including batteries for consumer electronics, energy storage systems (ESS) and electric vehicles (EV)," the battery company said.

LGES has made efforts to protect its technologies, including filing patent infringement and trade secret theft lawsuits against competitors, but the company decided to intensify its response due to ongoing IP infringements and serious market distortions, such as carmakers not considering patent compliance when selecting battery suppliers.

"LG Energy Solution is the ‘original innovator' in the global battery industry, and we have been pioneering the global market through continuous technological development and breakthrough innovations since the inception of the industry," Lee Han-sun, head of the company's IP center, said. "To safeguard our technological leadership and promote collective growth in the industry, we will commit ourselves to establishing a fair patent licensing system and taking strict measures against unlawful infringements."

The company also provided examples of its IP being infringed, including battery manufacturers supplying batteries to carmakers that market EVs in Europe. "After only a preliminary review of competitor EV batteries, LG Energy Solution has discovered these manufacturers may have violated more than 30 of its patents covering major components and manufacturing technologies, including coated separator, cathode material, structures of battery cells and electrodes," LGES said.

Among the over 1,000 highly strategic patents in its portfolio, other battery manufacturers are suspected of infringing 580, LGES said.

"Respecting IP rights is essential for fostering fair competition in the global market. To ensure the advancement of the overall industry and the company, we will protect our IP and take bold countermeasures on patent infringements," Kim Dong-myung, CEO of LG Energy Solution, said. "As an industry leader, we will also lead the establishment of a legitimate battery patent licensing market. By utilizing fair return on our IP, we will actively pursue the development of core future technologies, providing differentiated value to our customers."