In connection with the enforcement of voxeljet’s intellectual property rights, the acquisition of third‑party intellectual property rights, or disputes related to the validity or alleged infringement of the Company’s or a third party’s intellectual property rights, including patent rights, voxeljet has been and may in the future be subject or party to claims, negotiations or complex, protracted litigation.
In March 2018, ExOne GmbH, a subsidiary of The ExOne Company, notified voxeljet of its intent not to pay its annual license fees under an existing intellectual property-related agreement and asserted its rights to claim damages pursuant to an alleged material breach of the agreement. At this time, the Company cannot reasonably estimate a contingency, if any, related to this matter. On November 12, 2021, The ExOne Company and its affiliates were acquired by DESKTOP METAL, INC.
voxeljet AG issued letters of support to voxeljet’s subsidiaries voxeljet China and voxeljet America to provide financial support to enable the subsidiaries to meet their obligation or liabilities as and when they fall due. The guarantee is irrecoverable for at least 12 months from the date of financial statements for the financial year ended December 31, 2021, are signed. Management assessed that it is unlikely that the subsidiaries would exercise this letter.
12. Related party transactions
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Name |
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Nature of relationship |
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Duration of relationship |
Franz Industriebeteiligungen AG, Augsburg |
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Lessor |
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10/01/2003-Current |
Schlosserei und Metallbau Ederer, Dießen |
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Supplier |
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05/01/1999-Current |
Suzhou Meimai Fast Manufacturing Technology Co., Ltd, Suzhou |
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Minority shareholder of voxeljet China, Customer |
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04/11/2016-09/01/2021 |
DSCS Digital Supply Chain Solutions GmbH, Gersthofen |
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Customer |
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05/11/2017-Current |
Michele Neuber |
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Employee |
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07/01/2019 - 03/31/2022 |
Susanne Ederer-Pausewang |
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Customer |
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03/17/2021-Current |
Lisa Franz |
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Employee |
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10/01/2021-02/18/2022 |
Transactions with Franz Industriebeteiligungen AG comprise the rental of office space in Augsburg, Germany. Rental expenses amounted to kEUR 1, in each, first quarter 2022 and first quarter 2021.
Further, voxeljet acquired goods amounting to kEUR 0 and kEUR 0 in the first quarter of 2022 and 2021, respectively from ‘Schlosserei und Metallbau Ederer’, which is owned by the brother of Dr. Ingo Ederer, the Chief Executive Officer of voxeljet.
Moreover, voxeljet received orders amounting to kEUR 99 and kEUR 5 in the first quarter of 2022 and 2021, respectively from Suzhou Meimai Fast Manufacturing Technology Co., Ltd., which was our minority shareholder for voxeljet China until September 1, 2021. On this date, Meimai transferred half of its equity interest in voxeljet China, or 15% of voxeljet China’s equity, to its shareholder MK Holding GmbH and the remaining half of its equity interest, or 15% of voxeljet China’s equity to its shareholder Mr. Jin Tianshi, the managing director of voxeljet China. As a result, as of September 1, 2021, Meimai is no longer a related party.
Further, voxeljet received orders amounting to kEUR 0 and kEUR 0 in the first quarter 2022 and 2021, respectively from ‘DSCS Digital Supply Chain Solutions GmbH’, which is an associated company where the Company owns 33.3%. Shareholders of DSCS have initiated the wind-up of DSCS, which will be finalized by DSCS’s removal from the commercial register, expected to take place in the first half of 2022.
In addition, voxeljet employed Michele Neuber as an intern, the son of Volker Neuber, who has been a member of voxeljet’s supervisory board since July 2020. He received a salary of kEUR 1 and kEUR 1 in the first quarter of 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Moreover, voxeljet sold a used car in the first quarter of 2021 to Susanne Ederer-Pausewang amounting to kEUR 27, who is the wife of Dr. Ingo Ederer, the Chief Executive Officer of voxeljet.
In addition, voxeljet employed Lisa Franz, who is the daughter of Rudolf Franz, the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of voxeljet, as an intern between October 2021 and February 2022. She received a salary of kEUR 1 in the first quarter of 2022.
All related party transactions voxeljet entered into were made on an arm's length basis.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220519005868/en/
Contact:
Investors and Media
Johannes Pesch
Director Investor Relations and Business Development
johannes.pesch@voxeljet.de
Office: +49 821 7483172
Mobile: +49 176 45398316