Caterpillar formed the Technology Licensing Group to market its intellectual capital. The new group was created to leverage the company's portfolio of technology assets, which included more than 7,000 patents, and to generate new revenue streams and maximize research and development investments.
"Caterpillar has identified our intellectual capital as a major strategic asset," said Bill Berlinger, licensing manager for the Caterpillar Corporate Licensing Program. "With any asset, reinvestment is in order; and the way to reinvest intellectual capital is to license it."
Fueled by the company's strong commitment and success in research and development, intellectual capital now represents the bulk of Caterpillar assets, according to Berlinger. By aggressively marketing these relatively untapped assets, the company plans to drive maximum value from its technology.
"Only 20 to 30 percent of Caterpillar's worth is in the equipment and factories we own. The rest is all intellectual capital," Berlinger said.
The new group plans to expand its traditional concept of licensing patents into more of a marketplace perspective. Some examples of Caterpillar technologies available for licensing include engine designs, fuel systems, hydraulics, electronics, global position sensing and software programs.
