There are nine people who work with IP at Thule in different parts of the world and all communicate through the Ipendo Platform™. Every development site has its own IP responsibility, although Lars is the only one working with patents full time.
Before implementing the platform their IP was handled by a number of external agents, which made collecting and administrating information more difficult. One of many reasons why Thule chose the Ipendo Platform™ is because it is a web-based solution that doesn’t require complicated installations that can only be used at their HQ.
Thule is a decentralized organization, but has a centralized IP function and when working with Ipendo, Lars and his colleagues benefit from having all their IP information in one place.
"It’s a very good solution for a decentralized organization. We have many development sites but Ipendo makes it possible for everybody to log on, see what’s going on and communicate. Since we have no in-house assistants we needed a solution that could be handled by our outside agents," he says.
When asked about their work, what Lars would like to highlight, and what tips or tricks Thule thinks can be useful, the conversation turns to the value of information.
"My work also consists of getting IP information out, and for that the Ipendo Platform™ is the starting point. We use the one-page report option available on the Ipendo Platform™ and made it fit our needs. Our employees can now make good use of the information, for instance through our intranet."
Is this is a good way to secure information and make sure that the right people read it at the right time?
"Yes. For instance, before a trade show I will send out information to the product managers beforehand. Also, when we started we quickly realized that we didn’t know what we had protected. Thule has 700 patents, and nobody had a clue! So when we started to go through everything the report format was really helpful for everyone involved. It made you think. And I think this has been a real problem for the IP business as a whole; you collect patents, pile them up … and forget.
"So we really try to use the Ipendo Platform™ to go through our portfolio, and then rank and value through different criteria; to get rid of those which just cost money and find the most valuable and interesting patents. In this way we also identify IP that we ourselves do not use, but that may be of interest to other companies. This is part of our licensing program which has been very successful, and gives a steady royalty income."
We wonder if this is a way of finding the hidden gems.
"Yes, absolutely! ", says Lars. "Before we started using Ipendo, this wasn’t possible for us. Every development site had their own portfolio and their own outside agents. Even though we had a central IP function, they still lived a life of their own. Now we have only three official agents that handle these things."
New challenges
With an initial public offering around the corner for Thule, there is a new challenge for the IP team. The need to have everything in order is vital, and once again the Ipendo Platform™ is a big help.
"When the offering comes, every little detail needs to be in order for review and evaluation. There will be so many outside parties making their own evaluations and analysis that if you don’t have order in the portfolio there will be mistakes and rumors that you don’t want. Thule’s worth is very much associated with the brand. If you don’t take care of that, the value of the whole company goes down. In today’s marketplace the value of intellectual property is often much greater than the actual product value – and that is something you need to be aware of."
Our discussion then turned to what Ipendo could add to our customer ‘wish list’, and how the Ipendo Platform™ might improve and evolve. Lars stressed the value of information and getting the right information (such as reports) from the system in the right way and being able to present it to the right people.
"Ipendo should strive to take this to next level." Lars says. "Today when you want to make a report in the platform it can be quite difficult, so I want a simple way to design and create a good report. Just collecting information is of no use, it needs to be communicated as well."
This new way of working, with less people, and portfolio information available just a log-in away, has worked well for Thule. Lars pointed out that the quality of work is of a higher standard now than before using the Ipendo Platform™ and administration is much easier. The flexibility of the solution is something that works very well – whatever you need, such as a new report design, Ipendo is eager to help.
Lars also holds the support from Ipendo staff in high esteem, which he finds outstanding compared to most other companies in the field.
As Lars puts it, "Ipendo has really taken our IP management to a higher level."
We will take all his comments to heart.
By Malin Lindgårdh
Images of Lars Wallentin: Niclas Tilosius