Success based on Innovative Research and a Strong IP Strategy

Gisberto Gibertini’s interest in precision engineering developed during his employment at the chemical laboratories of the Italian customs office. He found that measuring the density of chemicals using traditional balances was a hard and laborious task, which led him to take the initiative to develop a simple and inexpensive but precise analytical balance that can determine the density and dry extracts of chemicals. Gibertini eventually developed the first hydrostatic balance, which is an equal-arm balance that weighs an object first in the air and then in a beaker of water to determine its specific gravity. This balance soon became popular among scientific laboratories and wine industries all over the world. Today, the balance has become the symbol of Gibertini® Elettronica Srl. (Gibertini Elettronica), the company established by Gibertini.

As an innovative company, Gibertini Elettronica depends heavily on research and development (R&D) and continuous improvement of its products. In order to obtain the best integration of experiences and necessary information for the development of instruments and to meet customer needs, a research group has been created. The research group includes technical office staff and commercial managers who cooperate to provide assistance, support and solutions in case of special requests from customers. This cooperation has led to a consistent improvement of product performance, especially in terms of easy and functional use.

Over the years, Gibertini Elettronica has developed several dozen products that are widely used in different businesses including the dairy and wine industry. Precision measurement is the keyword for the company. One of its recent products, the Eurotherm, offers a very efficient option to weigh milk and other food liquids and at the same time measure their humidity and dry residue. Another device, the Nucleo Counter, is likely to have a tremendous impact on the wine industry. The Counter is used for counting yeast cells in wine. Prior methods took two to three days to count cells, whereas Gibertini’s technology can count and generate results within one minute. The device helps winemakers to track the process of fermentation and thus control the quality of the wine.

The company has had an IP business strategy since 1983 with two persons in charge of IP rights (IPRs), including monitoring IP databases. These persons are appointed to decide about the most effective possible protection following the advice of an IP attorney. The company also maintains contacts with external experts to obtain advice. The choice of countries in which to obtain IPRs is made according to the relevant market for the product.

Gibertini Elettronica believes that one of the most significant advantages obtained from IPRs is the opportunity to protect its core products. The company holds that an enforcement action against infringement helps discourage further infringement because the counterfeiter incurs significant costs in terms of time and money. There has been at least one instance of infringement of Gibertini Elettronica’s patents. Following the advice of an IP attorney, the company engaged an IP lawyer to sue the infringer for damages. The case is still pending.

Commercialization

Gibertini Elettronica’s commercialization strategy aims at maintaining its competitive edge over other companies in the same sector. The company monitors its market through participation in fairs and exhibitions, studying catalogues, commercial and technical manuals and analyzing instruments manufactured by other firms.