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. Management expects that the cash outflow towards settlement of claims is very unlikely.
In September 2023, a company which develops software for businesses (the ‘software provider’), notified the Company that unlicensed software owned and copyrighted by the software provider was installed on certain computers within a voxeljet subsidiary’s network (the ‘License Matter’). Relatedly, the software provider proposed a compensation package including the purchase of license and software maintenance by the applicable voxeljet subsidiary. As of November 16, 2023, the parties have not yet commenced negotiations over the settlement of the License Matter and at this time, the Company cannot reasonably estimate a contingency, if any, related to this matter. Management expects that cash outflow towards such a settlement of claims, if any, will not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and liquidity.
voxeljet AG issued letters of support to its subsidiaries voxeljet China and voxeljet America to provide financial support to enable the companies to meet its obligation or liabilities as and when they fall due. The guarantee is irrevocable for at least 12 months from the date on which financial statements for the financial year ended December 31, 2022 are issued.
Further, voxeljet AG issued a letter of support to voxeljet India on July 12, 2023 to provide financial support to enable the subsidiary to meet its obligation or liabilities as and when they fall due. The guarantee is irrevocable for at least 12 months from the date of issue of this letter.
Management assessed that it is unlikely that the subsidiaries would exercise these letters of support, including in view of the License Matter.
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 |
DSCS Digital Supply Chain Solutions GmbH, Gersthofen |
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Customer |
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05/11/2017 - 07/10/2023 |
Michele Neuber |
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Employee |
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07/01/2019 - 03/31/2022 |
Lisa Franz |
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Employee |
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10/01/2021 - 02/18/2022 |
Romy Ederer |
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Employee |
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03/06/2023 - 04/14/2023 |
Transactions with Franz Industriebeteiligungen AG comprise the rental of office space in Augsburg, Germany. Rental expenses amounted to kEUR 2 in each of the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and September 30, 2022.
Further, voxeljet acquired goods amounting to kEUR 0 and kEUR 0 in the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and September 30, 2022, respectively from ‘Schlosserei und Metallbau Ederer’, which is owned by the brother of Dr. Ingo Ederer, the Chief Executive Officer of voxeljet.
Further, voxeljet received orders amounting to kEUR 0 and kEUR 0 in the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and September 30, 2022, respectively from DSCS Digital Supply Chain Solutions GmbH ('DSCS’), which was an associated company where the Company owned 33.3%. Shareholders of DSCS initiated the wind-up of DSCS in 2020, which was finalized by DSCS’s removal from the commercial register on July 10, 2023.
In addition, voxeljet employed Michele Neuber as an intern between July 2019 and March 2022. Michele Neuber is the son of Volker Neuber, who has been a member of voxeljet’s supervisory board since July 2020. Michele Neuber received a salary of kEUR 1 in the first quarter of 2022.
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.
Further, voxeljet employed Romy Ederer, who is the daughter of Dr. Ingo Ederer, the Chief Executive Officer of voxeljet, as an intern between March and April 2023. She received a salary of kEUR 1 in the nine months ended September 30, 2023.
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/20231116709477/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