Celgard Files New Complaint against Senior, Xiaomin (Steven) Zhang, Sun Town and Global Venture for Trade Secret Misappropriation and Also Files Amended Complaint in Patent Infringement Case

CHARLOTTE,North Carolina,March 3,2020 -- Celgard,LLC (Celgard),a subsidiary of Polypore International,LP (Polypore),filed a Complaint against Defendants Shenzhen Senior Technology Material Co. Ltd. (Senior-China),Shenzhen Senior Technology Material Co. Ltd. (US) Research Institute (Senior-California),Xiaomin (Steven) Zhang (Dr. Zhang),Sun Town Technology,Inc. (Sun Town),Global Venture Development,LLC,and Global Venture Development,Inc. (collectively,Global Venture) (collectively,WDNC Defendants) in the United States (U.S.) District Court for the Western District of North Carolina (WDNC) for trade secret misappropriation,unfair and deceptive trade practices and unfair competition,civil conspiracy,unjust enrichment and conversion. Additionally,Celgard filed a Second Amended Complaint against Defendants Shenzhen Senior Technology Material Co. Ltd. (US) Research Institute (Senior-California),Farasis Energy USA,Inc.,Farasis Energy,Farasis Energy (Gan Zhou),and Farasis Energy (Gan Zhou) Co.,Ltd. (collectively,Farasis),NDCA Defendants) for patent infringement,breach of contract and breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (NDCA).

Celgard® coated and uncoated dry-process microporous membranes are used as separators that are a major component of lithium-ion batteries. Celgard’s battery separator technology is important to the performance of lithium-ion batteries for electric drive vehicles,energy storage systems and other applications.

The WDNC Complaint alleges the WDNC Defendants,including a former Celgard employee,Xiaomin (Steven) Zhang,now CTO of Senior-Chinawho changed his name to Bin Wang at the request of Senior-China,purposely and unlawfully misappropriated Celgard's trade secrets and confidential information and continue to do so. Several other violations of the law are also alleged.

The NDCA Second Amended Complaint alleges the NDCA Defendants infringe Celgard's United States Reissued Patent RE47,520 (the '520 patent),formerly United States Patent 6,432,586 (the '586 patent),on ceramic coated separators,and Celgard's United States Patent No. 6,692,867 (the '867 patent),on polypropylene separators,as well as several other violations of law and breaches.

In each of the WDNC and NDCA cases,Celgard has requested a jury trial,an injunction,and other relief including monetary damages. Such an injunction if granted in the WDNC would prohibit the WDNC Defendants (Senior-China,Senior-California,Dr. Zhang,Sun Town,and Global Venture) from: (1) use of Celgard's trade secrets and/or confidential information,(2) continuing their unfair and deceptive trade practices and unfair competition,and (3) making,testing,using,promoting,offering to sell,marketing,commercializing,or selling separators or products that utilize,embody,or were developed with the benefit or use of any of Celgard's trade secrets and/or confidential information in the U.S.,or from importing into the U.S. such separators or products. Such an injunction if granted in the NDCA would prohibit the NDCA Defendants (Senior-California,Farasis,and Global Venture) from: (1) infringement of Celgard's '520 patent and '867 patent,and (2) making,or selling in the U.S.,or from importing into the U.S.,products that infringe the '520 and '867 patents and/or induce or encourage others to infringe the '520 and '867 patents and violate the Court's injunction order (the enjoined behavior).

In December 2019,Celgard filed a First Amended Complaint in the NDCA adding to the suit the Defendants Farasis,and Global Venture. See Release.

In September 2019,Celgard filed suit against Senior who sells separators globally that they make in Shenzhen,China. Celgard's Complaint alleges Senior has infringed Celgard's U.S. '520 and '867 patents on ceramic coated and polypropylene separators,and has unlawfully misappropriated and misused Celgard's trade secrets and confidential information,among other violations and seeks compensation for damages. See Release.

In September 2019,Celgard successfully settled a patent infringement lawsuit against Targray International (Targray) for infringing Celgard's '520 and '867 patents. See Release.

In June 2019,Celgard also successfully settled two suits against MTI Corporation (MTI) for selling separators that infringe Celgard's '586 patent and for selling counterfeit separators with the Celgard® registered trademark. See Release.

The successful outcome of the Targray and MTI cases further solidifies the integrity of Celgard's intellectual property (IP) regarding coated and uncoated separators for lithium-ion batteries. Celgard will continue to prevent the unfair exploitation of its technology and IP to safeguard its assets and customers.

About Celgard and Polypore

Celgard specializes in coated and uncoated dry-process microporous membranes used as separators that are a major component of lithium-ion batteries. Celgard's battery separator technology is important to the performance of lithium-ion batteries for electric drive vehicles,energy storage systems and other applications.

Celgard,LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Polypore International,LP,an Asahi Kasei Company.

Polypore is a global company with facilities in nine countries specializing in microporous membranes used in electric and nonelectric vehicles,energy storage systems and specialty applications. Visit www.celgard.comand www.polypore.com.

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