Having personal experience of subsidance, I am aware of how distressing it can be to a property owner. However, problems often inspire innovation, and Geobear's innovative polymer injection process is certainly an interesting example of this.
As explained in the article below, this innovative process - conceived 40 years ago to resolve a collapsing floor in a shop - involves injecting a polymer into a series of small holes in the ground. The expanding polymer can then reinforce and stabilise the ground upon it solidifying. In some instances it can even reinstate ground levels as it expands into its final form - an expanded structural foam having comparable load-bearing capacities to concrete.
Being a technology that is 40 years old, any original patent protection will have likely expired as patents typically last at most 20 years from their filing date. However, with careful IP planning, companies can extend that protection beyond the original term by filing new patent applications for subsequent improvements. In Geobear's case I note that they recently filed patent applications for protecting an application of this type of structural reinforcement to railway lines. In particular, the new invention seems to focus on how optimal benefits can be obtained when applying this structural enhancement to porous subsoils, by applying it to the subgrade below the track bed.
If you are in a similar situation, for example with original patents or registered designs that have either expired or which are approaching their expiry date, or simply if you have recent product developments, it is worthwhile exploring whether you might still be eligible for patent protection for those developments. You may find yourself to be in a position to refresh your IP portfolio, thus providing continuity to your business plan, and also potentially to add to the value of your business! New patents may even provide a mechanism to benefit from certain tax breaks, such as the UK Government's Patent Box system. Marks & Clerk are ready to assist you with any such IP project.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
