Arcelor to take legal action against Mittal
Arcelor, the world's second-largest steel maker, has decided to take legal action in the United States against its unsolicited bidder Mittal Steel, alleging patent infringement.
LUXEMBOURG/BRUSSELS: Arcelor, the world's second-largest steel maker, has decided to take legal action in the United States against its unsolicited bidder Mittal Steel, alleging patent infringement.
โWe decided on Wednesday afternoon to take Mittal to court over patent infringement,โ Arcelor spokesman Jean Lasar said on Thursday, confirming a report in the Luxembourg press.
A spokesman for Mittal declined to comment, saying the company had not yet seen Arcelor's statement.
Lasar said the action concerned so-called Usibor steel technology, used in the automobile industry.
โWe are defending our intellectual property rights,โ Lasar said, adding that his company's legal challenge was unrelated to Mittal's takeover bid.
โWe would have done the same if it had been another competitor,โ Lasar added.
Arcelor and Mittal report first-quarter results on Friday.