Thousands of manufacturers, engineers, suppliers and innovators are coming together this week for the International Advanced Manufacturing (IAM) Expo and the AMI Plastics World Expos North America in downtown Cleveland. Wegman Hessler, a Cleveland area law firm with deep roots in intellectual property counsel for manufacturers, is proud to participate as a Sponsor for the event in partnership with the Collaborative Chambers Alliance (CCA).

The dual expos run through Thursday of this week. Organizers expect more than 6,000 attendees and over 330 exhibitor booths covering plastics compounding, extrusion, recycling, polymer testing, advanced manufacturing technology and more.

Packed house at the Welcome Reception

The exposition opened Tuesday evening with the CCA-IAM Expo Welcome Reception at the Huntington Convention Center. Wegman Hessler attorneys joined exhibitors, local chamber of commerce leaders, economic development partners and business owners from across the region and around the world to kick off the expo events.

The Collaborative Chambers Alliance (CCA) brings together international and regional chambers of commerce and economic development organizations to strengthen business ties across Northeast Ohio. Wegman Hessler partner Lawrence Crowther has served as CCA Secretary and has been an active member of its Board of Directors since 2020. The firm’s support of CCA reflects a long-standing commitment helping northeast Ohio companies and communities continue to grow.

Where innovation happens, protection matters

Walking the floor at an event like this to soak in the level of innovation is remarkable – from new material formulations and faster and cleaner extrusion lines to recycling processes that turn waste into usable feedstock and testing equipment that measures what was simply not possible a few short years ago.

Every one of those advances represents an investment of time, money and expertise. For manufacturers, innovation is often the most valuable asset a company produces, making it worthy of protection.

Wegman Hessler’s Intellectual Property practice helps all types of businesses – from individual inventors and family-owned manufacturers to large international corporations – protect their intellectual property assets, deriving both strategic and business value from product innovations.

Our IP attorneys are also experienced engineers – including a few rocket scientists – who combine technical backgrounds with strategic counsel for greater collaboration that drives better outcomes.

Questions Manufacturers Often Ask

Here are a few questions manufacturers should be asking:

“Is it patentable, and when should we file?”

New products, equipment, materials and processes may all qualify for patent protection. Timing matters. Showing, selling or publicly describing an invention before filing can limit your options, especially outside the United States.

“Should this stay a trade secret?”

Some of the most valuable know-how in manufacturing, like a compounding formula or a process setting, may be better protected as a trade secret than through a patent. That only works if the company takes reasonable steps to keep it confidential.

“Are we clear to launch?”

Before investing in a new product line or process, it is worth knowing whether someone else’s patent stands in the way.

“Is our brand protected?”

Product names, logos and company names carry real value with customers and distributors. Registering trademarks early helps you keep and defend that value as yours.

“Are our agreements doing their job?”

Nondisclosure agreements, supplier and customer contracts, employee invention assignments and licensing agreements all play a role in who owns and controls your innovation.

A timely reminder for exhibitors

Trade shows are where new products are unveiled. If your company is showing something new at the expo this week, or plans to at a future event, it is a good moment to confirm your IP protection is in place before the details go public.

The IAM Expo and AMI Plastics World Expos continue through Thursday, November 12, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Huntington Convention Center, 300 Lakeside Avenue, Cleveland. Attendance is free with advance registration here.

If you see us at the expo, please stop and say hello. To talk with our Intellectual Property team about protecting your company’s innovations, visit https://wegmanlaw.com/practice-areas/intellectual-property/ or email us at info@wegmanlaw.com.

Photo: Courtesy of Collaborative Chambers Alliance.

This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.

About Wegman Hessler

Wegman Hessler is a professional legal association serving northeast Ohio with new offices in Westlake. Since 1968, Wegman Hessler has provided strategic legal counsel to closely held businesses, family enterprises, manufacturers, and individuals. The law firm is known for applying legal discipline to solve business problems across multiple practice areas including business law, intellectual property, municipal law, litigation, appeals, corporate governance, estate planning and wealth protection, commercial real estate, and mergers and acquisitions. For more information, visit  wegmanlaw.com.