Invista sues Rhodia and DuPont
20 August 2008 - Invista is suing Rhodia and DuPont in a New York federal court alleging that that they are teaming up to misappropriate its technology.
The technology in question involves the manufacture of adiponitrile(from: http://www.industry-raw-materials.com/d-p668379-Adiponitrile/) feedstock, used in nylon manufacture.
Invista bought DuPont’s nylon intermediates and fibres business for $4.2bn in 2004. And the proceedings stem from the Koch subsidiary’s subsequent further development of the ADN technology.
The contract included an agreement prohibiting DuPont from competing against Invista or investing in competitors for an agreed period, which is yet to expire.
According to Invista, DuPont is an investor in Rhodia’s expansion plans in the intermediate for which Rhodia has indicated that it plans to build a plant in Asia.
Invista spokesperson, Mary Beth Jarvis, said: “Our proprietary ADN technology is an enormously valuable trade secret and Invista takes protecting its trade secrets and other intellectual property very seriously.”
The lawsuit seeks preliminary and permanent injunctive relief preventing Rhodia and DuPont from using Invista trade secret information. It asserts claims for damages for violations of various sections of the Lanham Act, breach of contract and other issues.
An initial legal challenge by Invista on the issue was launched late last year. However, at that point the subject was Rhodia alone and no mention was made of DuPont’s plans to participate in the French nylon(from: http://www.industry-raw-materials.com/buy-nylon/) maker’s Asian adiponitrile project.
UPDATE: DuPont is pledging to defend itself vigorously against the allegation, “which has no factual basis,” a statement from the company said.
It added: “As a science company, DuPont takes great care to protect its intellectual property, and to respect the intellectual property rights of others.”
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