2013 - What will happen when Auto Wax's patents expire?

2013 is the time when Auto Wax's patents expire. As many know they control the sale of all clay distributed in the US. They've sued infringers multiple times(almost 20) and have received $10's of Millions in court judgements. I'm purely assuming that when this time comes many companies will then introduce their own version of clay, but how will they compare? What might become of this popular product/process when the patents expire? Could this mass exodus of Auto Wax's business now lend this company further into the red? Anyone care to speculate???

I never knew about that. So does everybody else get their clay from China or just re-brand from Auto Wax.

Don't the boutique wax co's make their own clay from a different style of ingredients? One says Kaolin Clay, Guar Gum and Chalcedony Quartz.

Is AW's patented clay extremely good or is it a product that could or should be improved on? They have a rep near me. Is the brand any good? If it is that good and fattens the bottomline profit margin, they can apply for an official dispensation to have the patent extended. They just need a good patent lawyer.

Haven,t used AM claybars in years .Riccardo clay bars are superior but not available in the usa.

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I never knew about that. So does everybody else get their clay from China or just re-brand from Auto Wax.

Don't the boutique wax co's make their own clay from a different style of ingredients? One says Kaolin Clay, Guar Gum and Chalcedony Quartz.

Is AW's patented clay extremely good or is it a product that could or should be improved on? They have a rep near me. Is the brand any good? If it is that good and fattens the bottomline profit margin, they can apply for an official dispensation to have the patent extended. They just need a good patent lawyer.

They more than likely are buying it through AW or from one of their distributors. All of which are an AW product. AW's own version is Clay Magic.

Maybe someone else can comment on the other strains of clay and exactly which ingredients differentiates each, but regardless who's clay it is, it's a AW product.

Out of all the strains I've tried, I still keep reaching for Clay Magic. Haven't tried the Ricardo clay yet,but everyone screams that it's super elastic, which I personally can't see that characteristic helping. Time will tell what ends up happening.....

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Pro-Techt

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I never knew about that. So does everybody else get their clay from China or just re-brand from Auto Wax.

Don't the boutique wax co's make their own clay from a different style of ingredients? One says Kaolin Clay, Guar Gum and Chalcedony Quartz.

Is AW's patented clay extremely good or is it a product that could or should be improved on? They have a rep near me. Is the brand any good? If it is that good and fattens the bottomline profit margin, they can apply for an official dispensation to have the patent extended. They just need a good patent lawyer.

They more than likely are buying it through AW or from one of their distributors. All of which are an AW product. AW's own version is Clay Magic.

Maybe someone else can comment on the other strains of clay and exactly which ingredients differentiates each, but regardless who's clay it is, it's a AW product.

Out of all the strains I've tried, I still keep reaching for Clay Magic. Haven't tried the Ricardo clay yet,but everyone screams that it's super elastic, which I personally can't see that characteristic helping. Time will tell what ends up happening.....

Thats good information. Thanks for sharing this, Pro-Techt. Hopefully somebody a little more knowledgeable will have an opinion on the patents side of things.