Posts Tagged: "DuPont patents"

Activist investor Nelson Peltz wants to dismantle research and innovation at DuPont

It looks like DuPont is busy trying to find ways to pay back investors so that the corporation can keep one group in particular from forcing a corporate split to break away from what those investors see as unprofitable business activities. The challenge is being waged by Trian Fund Management LP, an investment management firm headed up by Nelson Peltz. Trian and Peltz want DuPont to split into two separate ventures, one being a growth company with a focus on agriculture and nutrition products, the other a materials company which can provide more consistent dividends to shareholders. This would, however, put a wrench into certain DuPont activities meant to encourage innovation at the company, such as networking groups and rotation programs that allow DuPont’s 1,000 scientists and engineers to provide feedback from diverse fields, which sometimes lead to serendipitous innovation. This would have hindered, for instance, the development of the biobased polymer Hyrtrel RS, a material for air ducts and office furniture which incorporates plant materials.

Steve Brachmann

May 6, 2015

Food production and preventative probiotics dominate at DuPont

DuPont is focused on a wide array of innovative technologies, many of which aren’t forefront in the consciousness of many people and publications following innovation. Currently, the company is accepting entries for its 2015 DuPont Packaging Awards, which the corporation boasts is the longest-running awards ceremony in that industry since its inception in 1986. As we’ll see below, DuPont is also invested in developing its own packaging solutions. Recent innovations in DuPont’s Kevlar products for sporting equipment should receive more attention with the company’s decision to sponsor the January 2015 X Games Aspen. DuPont also maintains a particular focus on plant science and recent developments have increased the offerings of DuPont Pioneer’s EncircaSM Yield Nitrogen Management Service, which helps corn and soybean growers by providing planting prescriptions for field management.

Steve Brachmann

February 2, 2015

DuPont Patents: From Plastics to Ethanol Production Using Bacterial Processes

DuPont is a company responsible for many impressive industrial and commercial innovations, and our latest survey of patent applications published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office bears this fact out. We explored a couple of patent applications that discuss novel methods of creating fuel from biomass materials, especially those materials that don’t draw from the food supply. Transparent conductive materials, ink-jet inks with better pigment stability and a whipping agent for frozen sorbet are other technological advances which are discussed below. This corporation benefits from a strong patent portfolio and we’ve chronicled the addition of several important patents to DuPont’s intellectual property portfolio today. More food production innovations are reflected here, including a patent protect a better method for obtaining betaine from sugar beets for the production of molasses. Plastics production, including dielectric films for capacitors, are explored in more detail below. We also profile inventions involving relief printing methods for corrugated cardboard as well as another innovation for producing ethanol from biomass.

Steve Brachmann

November 5, 2014