Norit Americas Inc. ("Norit") announced today that a 3-person independent arbitration panel has issued its decision in the binding arbitration with ADA-ES, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADES) and certain of its affiliates ("ADA"), as well as former Norit employees John Rectenwald and Steve Young. The arbitration panel found ADA, Rectenwald, and Young liable for theft of trade secrets and breach of contract.
The panel ordered ADA to pay Norit damages of $37.9 million and a royalty on all activated carbon sales (10.5% for three years, and 7.0% for a further five years). The panel also denied all of ADA's counterclaims against Norit.
Norit commenced this legal action because ADA stole Norit's intellectual property and used it to construct a new activated carbon manufacturing facility at Red River near Coushatta, Louisiana, which is operated by ADA Carbon Solutions, LLC.
"We are very pleased with the panel's decision. Norit's intellectual property is one of our most valuable assets, and we will vigorously defend our intellectual property against any and all who infringe it, including ex-employees," said Ron Thompson, chief executive officer of Norit.
About Norit
Norit is the world's largest producer of activated carbon. Norit also sells complete systems and offers services capabilities and technical support. Norit's activated carbon is used in a growing range of environmental, health, safety and industrial applications. Norit's product line includes more than 150 different grades of activated carbon produced from peat, wood, lignite coal, bituminous coal, coconut shells and olive pits. Norit is a global company with facilities in seven countries, and a network of sales and service centers, business partners, and distributors serving customers in more than 150 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.norit-americas.com/.
Contacts:
Norit Americas Inc.
Mark Trinske, 903-923-1071
Vice President,
Public Relations & Communications
mtrinske@norit-americas.com