The Strategic Power of Patents – Interview with Otto Hannemann, Lenzing AG

Otto Hannemann

What Role Do Strategic Patent Portfolios Play for Companies?

This question was at the center of a conversation with Otto Hannemann at the headquarters of Lenzing AG in Austria. Hannemann shared fascinating insights into the impact, value, and challenges surrounding patents.

From Filing to Strategy

Traditionally, many view patents as a rather passive matter: an invention is disclosed, and the patent department handles the filing. For Hannemann, however, this approach falls short. Strategic patents go one step further. They follow clear objectives: What do we want to achieve with this filing? What effect should it have in the market?

Only from this line of thinking does the true inventive idea emerge — and with it, a patent that is more than just a formality.

External Impact

For Hannemann, one indicator of a patent’s relevance is how often it is challenged by third parties. Objections signal that competitors take the filing seriously and feel their freedom to operate is being limited. The fact that Lenzing AG has been consistently filing patents for nearly two decades is, in his view, clear evidence that their impact in the market is tangible.

Innovation Needs Protection

“Innovation without accompanying patent protection is a risk,” says Hannemann.

He points to the dynamics of staff changes and the pace of innovation today. Whoever files an idea first secures the patent — latecomers are left behind. Strategic patents, formulated with creativity and foresight, can often be implemented faster than complex innovation projects. In this way, the portfolio becomes an active instrument to secure time, competitive advantage, and market access.