Background
- A manufacturer of specialty chemicals had lost 70% of company customer base due to TS theft
- The previous Operations Director in China had removed electronic drawings and other IP over a 2-year period, set up a competing company and bribed the purchasing managers to move their purchases to his new company.
- EWA was engaged to investigate the claim and develop counter-actions
Approach
Step 1: Risk Identification
- Investigation and confirmation of the existence of the new company and the individual’s equity ownership
- EWA obtained product samples and verified a trademark violation
Step 2: Risk Mitigation
- Recruitment of local Chinese attorneys and the filing of a legal claim against both the company and the individual
- The competitive office, workforce, sub-contractors and customer base visitors were investigated
- EWA contacted the client’s original customer base to inform them of the various illegal actions and acts of corporate espionage
- Legal proceedings cannot be disclosed due to confidentiality restrictions
Step 3: Long-Term Risk Prevention
- Development of a comprehensive asset protection program
Results
- 75% of the lost customer base returned to the client within 7 months
- No new acts of corporate espionage or theft