Peter A. has been part of our group-wide patent department since 2005 and finds his job extremely exciting. He supports researchers and project staff who are developing new technologies, materials, or processes—which often seem a little like “science fiction” at this stage—and protects their ideas from being copied by others. To do this, he drafts detailed patent specifications and carries out national and international patent application procedures. Conversely, as a patent attorney, he researches documents that already protect similar inventions under patent law and, if necessary, develops defensive or circumventing measures for them. He outlines his role as follows: I advise and support colleagues even before conflicts arise. His work is also of particular importance for the technologies and processes of Austria’s largest climate protection program – greentec steel.
As part of his mechatronics studies at the University of Applied Sciences in Wels, Peter completed a professional internship in our patent team in 2004. He evaluated and tested the patent management software at that time and implemented it company-wide as an employee starting in 2005.
At the same time, he completed the relevant legal training and qualified as a European patent attorney in 2015. At the same time, thanks to his technical studies and collaboration with experts in the company, he has detailed knowledge of, for example, the effect of elements added to steel such as chromium, manganese, or tungsten. He has also acquired expert knowledge in many other technologies. Peter is therefore one of a highly regarded group of experts who, alongside the group’s executives, play a leading role in setting the direction for the company.
Peter structures his daily work to the highest degree—clearly, binding and non-extendable deadlines must be met between the individual patent procedure steps, but he is responsible for which patent strategy he chooses in collaboration with the project managers or which research data must be confirmed by then. Ultimately, his work determines whether a technologically market-ready product is protected by patent law in a timely manner and can be sold. Any ambiguities in the patent documents would enable competitors to defend themselves against and circumvent the property rights, resulting in costs for us.
Project and time management are among Peter’s strengths as a patent attorney. He works closely with researchers, colleagues, and external experts. It is essential to calculate accurately how long a search, a written patent application, a workaround, the preparation of an opposition, or the drafting of a contract will take. In this knowledge-intensive environment, a reliable, respectful, and, ideally, long-standing partnership with colleagues and contacts is very important to him.
When Peter is out and about and spots iFIX solar mountings from voestalpine Metal Forming or B-pillars made from voestalpine steel in vehicles, he sees the products of his work and feels happy. The fact that he also accompanies all patent-related steps on the way to producing sustainable, green steel via the electric arc furnace route in Linz and Donawitz and protects the processes means a lot to him. He is also committed to bringing the ideas of production engineers to light and reviewing their useful contributions that are worthy of protection.
In our new brand and image campaign #FavoriteMoments, we show our contribution to a modern, sustainable life from the perspective of people. We focus on their individual favorite moments and the commitment of our employees that makes such moments possible. The specially composed song “All these moments” accompanies the campaign and musically conveys our values, courage, community and our joy for the future and is authentically accompanied by pictures of our employees.
Die voestalpine ist ein weltweit führender Stahl- und Technologiekonzern mit kombinierter Werkstoff- und Verarbeitungskompetenz. Die global tätige Unternehmensgruppe verfügt über rund 500 Konzerngesellschaften und -standorte in mehr als 50 Ländern auf allen fünf Kontinenten. Sie notiert seit 1995 an der Wiener Börse. Mit ihren Premium-Produkt- und Systemlösungen zählt sie zu den führenden Partnern der Automobil- und Hausgeräteindustrie sowie der Luftfahrt- und Öl- & Gasindustrie und ist darüber hinaus Weltmarktführer bei Bahninfrastruktursystemen, bei Werkzeugstahl und Spezialprofilen. Die voestalpine bekennt sich zu den globalen Klimazielen und verfolgt mit greentec steel einen klaren Plan zur Dekarbonisierung der Stahlproduktion.
