3M has dismissed Lenovo Group Ltd. and Lenovo Inc. from the International Trade Commission’s (ITC) patent investigation of infringing lithium ion batteries in light of recent settlement agreements 3M reached with two of Lenovo’s lithium ion battery suppliers.

3M reached settlements with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. and Sony Corp. whereby they have become licensed sources of lithium ion batteries. 3M has dismissed Lenovo from the ITC investigation based on Lenovo’s certification that all of the lithium ion batteries it imports into the U.S. containing nickel-manganese-cobalt cathode materials are manufactured under license from 3M.

Lithium ion batteries are a preferred source of power for laptop computers, mobile phones and portable electronic devices, and are an emerging source of power for battery-powered hand tools and transport applications such as hybrid electric vehicles.

3M’s cathode materials containing nickel, manganese and cobalt are an important technology for current and next generation lithium ion batteries. 3M supplies these patented cathode materials to the industry.

Over the past decade, 3M has invested significant resources in design, development and commercialization of advanced material technologies for lithium ion battery applications. 3M’s expertise and broad materials capabilities in cathodes, metal alloy anodes, electrolyte salts, solvents, and additives can enable the next generation of high-performance lithium ion batteries.

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3MDonna Fleming Runyon, 651-736-7646