Invista Sues DuPont, Rhodia Over Trade Secrets

New York, NY, Aug. 18, 2008--Invista has sued E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co. and France's Rhodia SA, claiming they're trying to steal Invista's proprietary technology for the production of a chemical used in the manufacture of nylon.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, claims that Rhodia is attempting to improperly obtain trade secrets related to its proprietary, butadinene-based technology to produce adiponitrile, an intermediate chemical used in the manufacture of nylon.

"Unable to develop its own comparable technology, Rhodia has decided to take it from Invista and has enlisted the financial, technical and other support of DuPont in its illegal scheme," the lawsuit said.

Invista claims it bought the core technology as part of $4.1 billion sale of DuPont's fibers business in 2004.

As part of the transaction, DuPont agreed to prohibitions that barred it from competing against Invista and from disclosing the technology and any third party, according to the lawsuit.

The complaint alleges Rhodia obtained unlawful access to the trade secrets through a joint venture between affiliates of Invista and Rhodia.

The lawsuit claims DuPont has joined forces with Rhodia as Rhodia seeks to build an adiponitrile plant in Asia and compete unfairly against Invista.