Cree Wins LED Orders;Calls Infringement Claim Groundless

DURHAM, N.C., Dec. 13 -- Cree Research Inc. has received $22 million in new orders for light-emitting diode devices. The company reported that the new orders were placed primarily by Taiwanese customers.
Cree also announced that Sumitomo Corp., one of the company's LED product distributors in Japan, has been named in a lawsuit brought by Nichia Corp. Nichia filed suit in Tokyo District Court alleging infringement of a Japanese patent issued to Nichia, and seeking an injunction against Sumitomo. If granted, the injunction would preclude Sumitomo from selling Cree's older, standard-brightness blue LED products in Japan. Cree's management believes the infringement allegation to be without merit, and asserts that the suit was motivated by competitive factors. In accordance with the terms of the parties' distributorship agreement, Cree is assisting Sumitomo in defending the case.