James Van Horn, VP, general counsel and secretary of Presstek, said that with favourable rulings in the US and now in Germany, the company is looking at other territories where distributors are selling infringing VIM products.

"The dealer community is on notice," he said.

Van Horn added that the company is aware of distributors selling these products into the UK, but wouldn't comment on the particulars of Presstek's legal strategy any further.

The announcement follows its victory in its lawsuit against the Israeli plate manufacturer in which the Higher Court Dusseldorf upheld a Regional Court decision finding VIM responsible for infringing Presstek patents in a number of its printing plate products.

The ruling means that German distributor Reinsch Handel will no longer be able to sell the plates in Germany and the court has ordered the company to hand over detailed information on sales of the infringing products over the past six years so that it can assess potential damages.

"There's been broad publicity of VIM's activity. Distributors no longer have an excuse," said Van Horn. "We spend a lot of time, effort and money developing IP and we intend to protect it."

Van Horn said VIM had known for "several years" that it was infringing its patents but did nothing. Presstek appears to have had more success in launching suits against its distributors and said that it had not to date filed suit against VIM in Israel, where it is based.

PrintWeek could not reach VIM Technologies for comment at the time of writing.

See also:

VIM vows to keep trading despite Presstek German ruling

Presstek triumphs in patent suit against VIM Technologies