Pulp bale wire supplier Ovalstrapping Inc. files suit against Andritz alleging theft of intellectual property

SEATTLE, Oct. 18, 2011 (PRNewswire) - Ovalstrapping Inc., a Washington State company, has filed suit in Federal District Court in Tacoma against Andritz AG, a large international industrial concern with headquarters in Austria. Ovalstrapping has a long history of design and production of machinery used in the pulp and paper industry.

Ovalstrapping's innovative and unique method of tying bales of pulp with wire is respected around the world. Andritz contracted with Ovalstrapping to be its exclusive supplier of tying equipment (machines) in pulp mills Andritz built around the world. While working closely with Ovalstrapping equipment and contrary to agreements between the two parties, Andritz secretly misappropriated Ovalstrapping designs and technology to create its own line of tying equipment (machines). The losses to Ovalstrapping amount to tens of millions of dollars. Ovalstrapping is seeking an injunction to prevent continued use by Andritz of misappropriated technology in the design of pulp tying equipment Andritz offers around the world.

The complaint can be found at Ovalstrapping Incorporated and Oval International v. Andritz AG, United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Case No. 3:11-cv-05820 or can be viewed by following this link: http://www.ovalintl.com.