Wired for innovation: the strategic role of IP at Bekaert

In our industry, like in many others, staying ahead of technological breakthroughs, developing original solutions and setting new standards is central to solve customers’ challenges and get a competitive edge. This goes hand in hand with continuous R&D efforts. At Bekaert, we consider IP as a must in order to protect and build upon the way we reimagine technologies, materials, and processes.

IP is the way that we protect our investments in R&D but also how we fuel future innovation, and demonstrate to customers and partners worldwide that we are a trusted leader in our field.

Think of it this way: if we didn’t invest in intellectual property, we wouldn’t be safeguarding the resources that we put into each of our projects. IP offers a safe harbor for our teams to continue innovating. It also keeps low-quality imitations that would otherwise pose a risk to safety or performance in end applications, and therefore endanger the reputation of our customers or whichever company is using them, out of the market.

Trade secrets are a vital part of Bekaert’s IP strategy, allowing us to protect proprietary know-how, manufacturing techniques, and process insights that are not disclosed publicly and cannot always be patented. These confidential assets remain protected for as long as they are kept secret, offering long-term security without the need for formal registration.

Trade secrets strategically complement our patent portfolio. While patents publicly secure novel inventions and technologies, trade secrets safeguard the invisible layers of innovation—those nuanced details and operational expertise that give our solutions their edge. Together, they form a dual shield: patents provide legal clarity and market positioning, while trade secrets ensure agility, confidentiality, and sustained competitive advantage.

This integrated IP strategy empowers our teams to innovate with confidence, collaborate securely, and accelerate development cycles—fueling Bekaert’s long-term growth and reinforcing our position as a trusted leader in advanced materials and technologies.

What does having strong IP protection mean in practice? At its heart, it means that we’re able to share knowledge and collaborate with our partners from a place of openness. This could take shape in two major ways: by licensing our technologies to other parties, or by co-developing new solutions with our partners.

When we manage IP effectively, collaboration becomes easier and reinforces our relationship with our partners. Each party knows their interests are protected, without needing to invest in additional administrative resources. This reliability is something our customers value deeply.

Our commitment to IP means that our products are authentic and high-quality, something that becomes even more important in industries where safety and performance are on the line. That commitment is also showcased by our identification and removal of close to five hundred counterfeit products from the market each year. It isn’t just about our brand integrity, either. It’s also about protecting our partners.

Our patents are both unique ideas and assets that strengthen our foundation in an ever-evolving world. For investors, that means that our IP portfolio ensures that our return on innovation is high, offering the potential of new revenue streams through licensing and other partnerships.

Simultaneously, it signals our commitment to nurturing innovation in a sustainable way that leads to lasting growth. IP is more than protection: it’s our fuel for the future.

By crafting a careful IP strategy, we’re setting ourselves up for tomorrow’s breakthroughs and giving our teams space to experiment and collaborate. Innovation shapes Bekaert, and intellectual property shapes our innovation. Together, they move us forward.