Archroma enters into a new license agreement for its Optical Brightening Technology

Archroma has announced that it has entered into a license agreement with Igcar, a Spain-based group producing optical brighteners for the paper and textile industries. The agreement gives Igcar access to Archroma’s patented optical brightening technology (patent family WO 2009/118247). The Optical Brightening Agent (OBA) technology combines magnesium salts with optical brighteners. Papers treated with the patented process show enhanced brightness and whiteness levels, offering consumers a more pleasurable writing and printing experience. Archroma follows standard business practice in defending and respecting patents and has recently issued «cease and desist» orders to several OBA suppliers whose products have been shown by independent analysis to infringe its proprietary technology. Valerie Diele-Braun, President Paper Solutions at Archroma, said: «Archroma strives to offer innovation to our customers and partners. The license agreements announced today recognise the value that our innovations add to paper to benefit paper makers and end-users whilst protecting our property rights».