#1:
Hewlett-Packard Co (HPQ.N) was sued
Author:
Hendo
Posted:
Thu Jun 10, 2010 01:58 PM
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"(Reuters) - Hewlett-Packard Co (HPQ.N) was sued on Wednesday by a New Jersey company that accused it of stealing and using its trade secrets to make replacement laser printer cartridges, and threatening its survival.
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In its complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, (SEE THIS) International Inc alleged that Hewlett-Packard had promised in December 2008 to give it lucrative contracts to manufacture replacement cartridges, and later awarded it some contracts.
But the world's largest maker of personal computers and printers shelved these plans in January 2010, after (SEE THIS) had "methodically disclosed every intricate detail of its business," the complaint said.
(SEE THIS) said Hewlett-Packard gained a "unique understanding" of the importance of the availability of empty printer cartridges to its business, and further damaged it by pushing customers to instead recycle their cartridges.
"Hewlett-Packard has sought to effectively crush (SEE THIS)," the complaint said. "Turbon's business is in peril and any further actions by Hewlett-Packard to use or disclose (SEE THIS)'s confidential trade secret information would be fatal for (SEE THIS) and the remanufacturing industry as a whole."
(SEE THIS) is based in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, a suburb of Philadelphia. According to its website, it is a unit of Germany's (SEE THIS) AG (TURG.DE), whose sales totaled 85.9 million euros ($102.9 million) in 2009.
The lawsuit seeks damages for fraudulent inducement, misappropriation of trade secrets and unfair competition, a ban on the use of improperly obtained secrets, and other remedies.
Hewlett-Packard is based in Palo Alto, California, and did not immediately return requests for comment. A lawyer for (SEE THIS) declined to elaborate on the complaint, including on the potential damages sought.
Shares of Hewlett-Packard closed Wednesday down 47 cents at $45.41 on the New York Stock Exchange.
The case is (SEE THIS) International Inc v. Hewlett-Packard Co, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. (SEE THIS)."
