Packaging giant Ardagh Group has been ordered to pay $50.3 million (€46.2 million) to Green Mountain Glass, which holds a patent on technology involved in recycling glass bottles, The Irish Times has reported.
The Ardagh Group purchased Verallia North America just two weeks after Green Mountain lodged its patent-infringement complaint.
The purchase of Verallia was delayed by more than 15 months, largely due to a competition investigation in the US, to determine whether Ardagh's acquisition of Verallia broke competition guidelines.
Ardagh says that it is indemnified against the verdict due to conditions of the sale agreement with former owners Saint Gobain.
Regardless of the indemnity, The Irish Times reported that Ardagh disagreed with the verdict and will 'pursue all options, including appeal' in its intention to overturn the decision.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Gavin Ryan. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
