BASF, a leading German chemical company, has filed a lawsuit against Duracell, the battery maker owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, accusing the company of stealing trade secrets related to lithium-ion battery technology.
The lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Delaware, claims that Duracell misappropriated confidential information from BASF while the two companies were collaborating.
According to court documents made public on Tuesday, BASF alleges that it invested significant resources into developing a proprietary process for producing high-performance cathode materials, which are critical components in advanced batteries.
The company claims that during their partnership, Duracell took advantage of the collaboration by sharing BASF’s trade secrets with a third party and moving forward with manufacturing under the false pretense that the process had originated from Duracell.
BASF contends that by cutting the company out of its role as the developer and supplier of these materials, Duracell caused significant harm, which warrants damages. The lawsuit argues that the theft of intellectual property has led to “substantial and irreparable injury.”
Lithium-ion batteries, which are central to BASF’s technology, power a wide range of products, including smartphones, electric vehicles, household appliances, and energy storage systems.
In December 2023, BASF announced plans to separate its battery chemicals business and two other divisions into independent units, a move aimed at boosting earnings.
Berkshire Hathaway, which owns Duracell, purchased the battery company from Procter & Gamble for approximately $2.9 billion in 2016.
The case is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware under the title BASF Corp. v. Duracell U.S. Operations Inc (No. 25-00404).
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