General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) has asked a federal court to dismiss allegations made last month by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (7011.TO) that alleges the company engaged in improper conduct while obtaining and enforcing wind-turbine patents.
The U.S. conglomerate said in its answer to the suit that it had provided “compelling evidence that [Mitsubishi] has failed to support its claims of antitrust violations, and therefore the lawsuit should be dismissed.”
In May, Japan-based Mitsubishi accused General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) of scheming to monopolize the U.S. market for variable-speed wind turbines, citing a number of factors including litigation by General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) to stifle competition. Mitsubishi is seeking damages which are likely to exceed $1 billion.
On Friday, General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) countered that the company is already litigating the validity , scope and enforceability of five patents identified in Mitsubishi’s complaint in four separate forums. General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) said that rather than asserting its anti-trust claims in any of the patent cases, the company chose to file suit in the district where Mitsubishi intends to build a $100 million wind-turbine plant in 2011.
General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) sued Mitsubishi in February for patent infringement, just one month after a ruling from the U.S. International Trade Commission that said Mitsubishi turbines didn’t infringe on GE patents.
