Woodworking Suppliers Advance Suit Over Stolen Company Info

A Pennsylvania woodworking supply company can proceed with a lawsuit alleging that former employees of a company it acquired stole confidential company information before the acquisition was completed, a federal court said.

Wurth Baer Supply Co. claimed in its lawsuit that the two former employees used the stolen information to turn a separate, pre-existing company into a direct competitor and to poach clients and sales from an acquired company under Wurth’s control.

The employees downloaded client lists, customer orders, and sales notes before the acquisition, then used the information to interfere with $242,000 contract and a $920,000 sales agreement with ...