PONS IP, a global consulting firm specialising in intellectual property, has announced the integration of SILEX IP, a firm specialising in patent and trademark registration, with the aim of consolidating PONS IP’s current leading position as the top intellectual property consulting firm in terms of volume of both national and European Union trademark applications, as well as in the registration of patents from Spain.

Following the acquisition, which will be effective as of 1 May, both organisations will operate under the PONS IP brand with the aim of consolidating organic and inorganic growth, as well as reinforcing the consulting firm’s internationalisation strategy. Currently, 60% of SILEX IP’s business comes from the international area and is one of the top 20 firms for trademark applications in the EU according to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

PONS IP will also reinforce its team with the addition of all the professionals from the current SILEX IP team in the company’s various areas of specialisation. Together with Ramón Leal and Guillermo Criado, founding partners of SILEX IP, all the professionals specialised in trademark and patent protection will join the current staff of 130 professionals at PONS IP.

The integration will also have a positive impact on the territorial coverage of the intellectual property consulting firm. In addition to the seven offices that PONS IP has, five of which are located in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Alicante and Valencia and two abroad in Bogota (Colombia) and the Chinese city of Guangzhou, the consulting firm will be present in Santiago de Compostela, the capital of one of the most important economic areas of northern Spain, Galicia, where SILEX IP already had its own office.

Nuria Marcos, General Manager of PONS IP, said after the announcement of the operation that “in a context of high competitiveness in the sector, announcing the integration of SILEX IP and its team to our project corresponds to our conviction that it is necessary to combine organic and inorganic growth as simultaneous levers for growth. I am convinced that the extensive experience of both Ramón and Guillermo and their team will bring great added value to PONS IP, strengthening our market position,” concluded the head of the IP consulting firm.

In turn, Guillermo Criado, founding partner of SILEX IP, stated that “the integration into a consolidated team and a leader in the sector, as well as contributing to the international growth of the consulting firm, were the main reasons for joining PONS IP. We are sure that the synergy will be perfect.”

Ramon Leal, founding partner of SILEX IP, said that since he began his career 34 years ago, “PONS IP has always been a leading company in the sector, both for its volume of operations and for having one of the largest networks of collaborators. In addition, we have found that the philosophy and work culture of PONS IP is similar to that of SILEX IP, so I am sure that the integration into PONS IP will be a natural process to which we will soon be able to contribute our extensive national and international experience to continue growing together.”