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IPC Subclass
C11B

PRODUCING, e.g. BY PRESSING RAW MATERIALS OR BY EXTRACTION FROM WASTE MATERIALS, REFINING OR PRESERVING FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES, e.g. LANOLIN, FATTY OILS OR WAXES; ESSENTIAL OILS; PERFUMES

Introduced: September 1968

Classification Context

Section:
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
Class:
ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
Subclass:
PRODUCING, e.g. BY PRESSING RAW MATERIALS OR BY EXTRACTION FROM WASTE MATERIALS, REFINING OR PRESERVING FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES, e.g. LANOLIN, FATTY OILS OR WAXES; ESSENTIAL OILS; PERFUMES

Description

C11B covers industrial processes for producing, refining, and preserving fats, oils, waxes, and related lipid materials through mechanical pressing, solvent extraction, or recovery from waste sources. The classification encompasses treatment methods such as bleaching, deodorization, hydrogenation, and other purification techniques applied to animal and vegetable fats, fatty substances like lanolin, and natural oils. Also included are the production and processing of essential oils and perfume compositions derived from plant and animal sources. This subclass excludes detergent manufacture and candle production, which are separately classified within C11.

Filing statistics

IPC subclass C11B recorded 50,808 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 3,107 in 2013 to 4,892 in 2023 (+57%), peaking at 6,188 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class C11 are P&G (PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY) (5,930 applications), HENKEL (3,288 applications) and BASF (BADISCHE ANILIN & SODA FABRIK) (2,162 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

Additional Content

Glossary

Essential oil essential oils A concentrated, hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aromatic compounds from plants.

Limiting references

Drying-oils

Related Keywords

naturally occurring FATSpreparation of FATSrefining FATSnaturally-occurring GLYCERIDESessential OIL(S); fatty OIL(S)REFINING of fats, fatty acids or waxesREFINING of oilsanimal or vegetable WAX(ES)

8 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

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  • C11B 11/00 Recovery or refining of other fatty substances, e.g. lanolin or waxes
  • C11B 15/00 Solidifying fatty oils, fats, or waxes by physical processes
  • C11B 5/00 Preserving by using additives, e.g. anti-oxidants
  • C11B 7/00 Separation of mixtures of fats or fatty oils into their constituents, e.g. saturated oils from unsaturated oils

Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class C11, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

  1. P&G (PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY) US 5,930
  2. HENKEL DE 3,288
  3. BASF (BADISCHE ANILIN & SODA FABRIK) DE 2,162
  4. ECOLAB US 1,454
  5. UNILEVER NL 1,430
  6. NOVOZYMES DK 1,366
  7. UNILEVER IP HOLDINGS NL 1,227
  8. CONOPCO, INC., D/B/A UNILEVER US 1,022
  9. KAO CORPORATION 947
  10. KAO CORPORATION JP 853