(Oslo, October 28, 2022) Bryn Aarflot and Protector IP join forces, becoming one of the strongest professional environments within intellectual property in Norway. The merged company will continue under the name Bryn Aarflot and employ more than 60 IP professionals.
Protection and administration of trademarks, designs, patents and other IP rights have become increasingly important. At the same time, the Norwegian IP industry is changing rapidly, with large international players entering the Norwegian market.
- We aim to be Norway’s most trusted advisor within intellectual property and to offer top-notch services to our clients. Bryn Aarflot and Protector IP complement each other well, both in terms of competence and mix of clients. Together we achieve the size and competence required to solve the challenges our clients face in many different industries and markets across the world, says Kristine Aarflot, who will continue as CEO of the merged company.
- It is business critical for many companies that their intellectual property is handled strategically. The consequences can be severe if technology is stolen or brands are abused, which is why a conscious and strategic approach to intellectual property rights is crucial. The teams at Protector IP and Bryn Aarflot share core values and methodical approach to these challenges. We are a perfect match, says Petter Westnes, CEO of Protector IP.
A survey conducted by the research consultancy CompuMark shows that 85 percent of companies in the US, UK, Germany, France and Italy experienced their trademarks being misused in 2019, an increase of as much as 11 percentage points since 2017. There is reason to believe that the increase has continued and that the trend is also increasing in Norway.
According to Statistics Norway, the number of applications for patents and trademarks increased by around 9 per cent from 2020 to 2021, after a few years of decline. This indicates a greater understanding of the importance of securing and capitalizing on intangible assets.
The merger between Bryn Aarflot and Protector IP will formally take effect on 1 January 2023, and the autumn will be used to integrate the organisations.
For further information, please contact:
Kristine Aarflot, CEO of Bryn Aarflot, +47 920 43 795, kaa@baa.no
Petter Westnes. CEO of Protector IP, +47 932 30 699, pw@protector.eu
About Bryn Aarflot
Bryn Aarflot AS, established in 1947, assists inventors, companies and business leaders in all areas of intellectual property law (IP). The company offers technical and legal assistance at all levels in matters relating to patent, trademark, design, copyright, domain names and marketing rights/unfair competition. In recent years, Bryn Aarflot has been named Norway's leading firm in intellectual property protection several times by the renowned international magazine Managing Intellectual Property. www.baa.no
About Protector IP
Protector IP was established in 1998 by six experienced patent advisers. From the start until today, the company has developed through organic growth to become one of Norway's leading IP consultancy firms. Protector IP assists many of Norway's largest and most innovative businesses and environments in optimizing their utilization of intangible assets in commercial activities. www.protector.eu
