Xerox pledges additional patent to help the planet
GENEVA, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Dow Chemical Company (Dow)
(NYSE: DOW) and Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. (Fuji Xerox), a joint venture between
Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) and FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, have joined
the Eco-Patent Commons, a first-of-a-kind business effort coordinated by the
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) to help the
environment by pledging environmentally beneficial patents to the public
domain.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO )
The newly pledged patents include:
-- A technology developed by Dow to enable more efficient production of
olefins by reducing energy and material consumption in the process. Olefins
are basic building blocks for many materials used in packaging, electronics,
adhesives, and durable goods, among other applications. These patents offer
several advantages over existing technology that make olefin production more
efficient - including increased catalyst lifetimes, and less increase in
pressure drop over time in the reactor, which reduces the frequency of
catalyst replacement.
-- Wastewater treatment method developed by Fuji Xerox.
"We are delighted to welcome The Dow Chemical Company and Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
to the Eco-Patent Commons," said the WBCSD's President, Bjorn Stigson. "By
making available their patents in this way, by sharing the results of their
investment in research and development, companies are showing real leadership
in sustainable development. Eco-Patent Commons continues to grow, and added
together, the available patents make up a valuable resource for those
individuals and companies working in areas such as energy efficiency, water
treatment and waste reduction."
Pledged patents by Dow
The two patents describe catalysts comprising a pre-shaped porous support
material with an active compound for the preparation of and use in the
dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons.
Dehydrogenation of compounds like hydrocarbons is a widely used and large
scale process. Examples include: the dehydrogenation of alkanes to alkenes,
such as propane to propene and butane to butene, and the dehydrogenation of
alkyl-aromatic hydrocarbons to alkenyl-aromatic hydrocarbons, such as from
ethylbenzene to styrene.
Pledged patents by Fuji Xerox
Fuji Xerox pledged two patents that effectively treat wastewater. The
wastewater treatment processes enable efficient treatment of wastewater
discharged from factories by coagulation and separation of specific chemical
substances in wastewater utilizing Polysilicato-Iron or separating surfactant,
and reduce quantities of the coagulant and the resulted sludge without harming
the environment.
Xerox pledges an additional patent
Xerox Corporation became a member of the Eco-Patent Commons last year and at
the time pledged eleven patents that cover a process that cuts the time it
takes to remove toxic waste from soil and water from years to months. Today
the company pledged an additional patent that covers technology that makes
magnetic refrigeration less harmful to the environment. Xerox's US Patent
5,641,424 describes how to make and apply a magnetized solution in magnetic
refrigeration that eliminates the need for ozone depleting refrigerants and
energy-consuming compressors. Conventional magnetic refrigeration processes
often use chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), chemicals that
have a considerable greenhouse effect.
Since the launch of the Eco-Patent Commons in January 2008 by IBM, Nokia,
Pitney Bowes and Sony in partnership with the WBCSD, eleven companies
representing a variety of industries worldwide have publicly shared innovation
through Eco-Patent Commons to help contribute in areas such as energy
efficiency and conservation, waste reduction and recycling: Bosch, Dow,
DuPont, Fuji Xerox, IBM (NYSE: IBM), Nokia, Pitney Bowes, Ricoh, Sony, Taisei
and Xerox.
Membership in the Eco-Patent Commons is open to all individuals and companies
willing to pledge their patents. The selection and submission of each
organization's patents for pledging is at the organization's discretion.
Member companies and the WBCSD invite other interested companies to become
members of the Eco-Patent Commons and participate in this initiative promoting
innovation and collaboration to help protect the planet.
The pledged portfolio and the instructions on how to become a member are
available on a dedicated, public Web site hosted by the WBCSD at
http://www.wbcsd.org/web/epc.
About The Dow Chemical Company
Dow is a diversified chemical company that combines the power of science and
technology with the "Human Element" to constantly improve what is essential to
human progress. The Company delivers a broad range of products and services to
customers in approximately 160 countries, connecting chemistry and innovation
with the principles of sustainability to help provide everything from fresh
water, food and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care
products. In 2008, Dow had annual sales of $57.5 billion and employed
approximately 46,000 people worldwide. The Company has 150 manufacturing sites
in 35 countries and produces approximately 3,300 products. On April 1, 2009,
Dow acquired Rohm and Haas Company, a global specialty materials company with
sales of $10 billion in 2008, 98 manufacturing sites in 30 countries and
approximately 15,000 employees worldwide. References to "Dow" or the "Company"
mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless
otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at
www.dow.com.
About Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd., a 75/25 joint venture between FUJIFILM Holdings
Corporation and Xerox Corporation, is a leading provider of document
management systems throughout Japan and Asia Pacific regions and designs and
manufactures multifunction devices and color printing systems for Xerox
worldwide. Fuji Xerox provides business solutions by enhancing the management
and utilization of documents, from analog and digital data to graphics and
movies, aimed at increasing business and corporate quality through the
creation and circulation of knowledge. Fuji Xerox's operations include the
office products, office printers, production services and Global Services
businesses.
For more information, please visit: www.fujixerox.com
About Xerox Corporation
Headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., Xerox Corporation's 54,000 people represent
the world's leading document management, technology and services enterprise,
providing the industry's broadest portfolio of color and black-and-white
document processing systems and related supplies, as well as document
management consulting and outsourcing services. http://www.xerox.com.
About the World Business Council for Sustainable Development
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development brings together some
200 international companies in a shared commitment to sustainable development
through economic growth, ecological balance and social progress. Members are
drawn from more than 30 countries and 20 major industrial sectors. The WBCSD
also benefits from a global network of about 60 national and regional business
councils and partner organizations. Its mission is to provide business
leadership as a catalyst for change toward sustainable development, and to
support the business license to operate, innovate and grow in a world
increasingly shaped by sustainable development issues.
Media Contacts:
Mike McCaffrey
The Dow Chemical Company
Office: +1-989-636-3045
mmccaffrey@dow.com
Masaaki Bando
Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
Office: +81-3-6271-5120
masaaki.bando@fujixerox.co.jp
Elissa Nesbitt
Xerox Corporation
Office: +1-585-423-3591
Elissa.Nesbitt@Xerox.com
Moira O'Brien-Malone
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development
Office: +41 79 377 7958
obm@wbcsd.org
June Namioka
IBM Media Relations
Office: +81-3-3808-5196
june@jp.ibm.com
SOURCE IBM
Mike McCaffrey, The Dow Chemical Company, +1-989-636-3045, mmccaffrey@dow.com;
or Masaaki Bando, Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd., +81-3-6271-5120,
masaaki.bando@fujixerox.co.jp; or Elissa Nesbitt, Xerox Corporation,
+1-585-423-3591, Elissa.Nesbitt@Xerox.com; or Moira O'Brien-Malone, The World
Business Council for Sustainable Development, +41-79-377-7958, obm@wbcsd.org;
or June Namioka, IBM Media Relations, +81-3-3808-5196, june@jp.ibm.com
