Dover Corporation (NYSE: DOV) — incorporated in Delaware in 1947 and publicly traded since 1955, headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois. It is a diversified global manufacturer and solutions provider with roughly 24,000 employees and annual revenue in the $7–8 billion range (about $8.1 billion reported for its most recent fiscal year). It remains an independent public company with no parent; institutional investors such as Vanguard and BlackRock are among its largest holders.
Operations. Dover sells engineered equipment, components, consumables, aftermarket parts, software and support services through five segments:
- Engineered Products — vehicle aftermarket and service equipment, aerospace/defense components, winches and hoists, fluid dispensing.
- Clean Energy & Fueling — fuel dispensing and convenience-retail systems, cryogenic/hydrogen/LNG handling and vehicle wash equipment (e.g., OPW).
- Imaging & Identification — marking and coding, product traceability, brand protection and digital textile printing.
- Pumps & Process Solutions — specialty pumps, flow meters, fluid connectors, precision components and polymer processing equipment for biopharma, chemical, energy and industrial markets.
- Climate & Sustainability Technologies — commercial refrigeration, heating/cooling and beverage can-making equipment; this segment includes the Anthony and Hillphoenix refrigerated display-case businesses.
Litigation posture. Dover is an operating company, not a patent assertion entity. Its single tracked matter is as plaintiff/petitioner: Anthony, Inc. et al. v. ControlTec, LLC, filed 2025-02-24 at the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Anthony, Inc. filed two inter partes review petitions (IPR2025-00559, IPR2025-00636) challenging U.S. Patent Nos. 7,207,181 and 7,421,847 ("Refrigeration Unit Condensation Prevention"), naming Dover Corporation and Hillphoenix, Inc. as real parties-in-interest. ControlTec is the patent owner and the plaintiff in the underlying district court action, ControlTec, LLC v. Anthony, Inc. et al., No. 1:24-cv-00883 (D. Del.) — Delaware rather than a plaintiff-friendly Texas venue.
Context. Both patents issued in 2007, expired in July 2025, and cover dew-point-based frame/door heater control in refrigerated display cases. In July 2025 the Acting USPTO Director declined ControlTec's discretionary-denial request, citing an apparent material examiner error, and referred the petitions to the Board; the Board subsequently instituted review on all challenged claims.