TianRui Group Company, Ltd. v. International Trade Commission

The Federal Circuit held (2-1) on October 11, 2011 that the United States International Trade Commission (“USITC”) has the authority, pursuant to Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. §1337(a)(1)(A)), to ban importation of goods manufactured using “unfair methods of competition,” including misappropriation of trade secrets, where the importation could harm a domestic company. It found in this case that the USITC properly excluded under Section 337 railway wheels that were created using an allegedly misappropriated secret process, even though the misappropriation occurred in China. The decision, however, does not enjoin continuing manufacture of these railway wheels. Although the opinion focuses on whether a presumption against extraterritoriality applies to Section 337, it signifies that the U.S. Federal government is increasing protection of domestic companies’ trade secrets.

Amsted Industries, Inc. (“Amsted”) is a domestic manufacturer of railroad components, including railway wheels made using the secret Griffin® and ABC processes. It licenses the manufacture of wheels using the ABC process to firms in China. TianRui Group Co. (“TianRui”) failed to obtain such a license from Amsted and, after failed negotiations, hired employees from another Amsted licensee firm, Datong ABC Castings Company, Ltd. (“Datong”). All of the Datong employees hired by Tianrui were trained in the ABC process and almost all signed confidentiality agreements. When TianRui imported railway wheels using the ABC process into the United States, Amsted filed a complaint with the USITC to exclude the wheels from importation. Amsted argued that continued importation would harm its business in the United States, even if the alleged trade secret misappropriation occurred in China. The USITC agreed with Amsted’s arguments and issued a limited exclusion order, which TianRui appealed to the Federal Circuit.

The Federal Circuit’s opinion was reported at 661 F.3d 1322 (Fed. Cir. 2011).

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