PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
Flash storage vendor SanDisk Corporation has filed a lawsuit against Korean memory supplier SK Hynix over theft of trade secrets related to NAND flash technology.
The lawsuit seeks damages, an injunction and other remedies against Hynix for ‘trade secret misappropriation’ under California’s Uniform Trade Secret Act.
The actions relate to the theft of trade secrets by a former engineer of SanDisk who left the company in 2008 to work for SK Hynix. This engineer is alleged to have illegally taken SanDisk’s proprietary technical information and to have subsequently provided it to SK Hynix.
Tokyo Metropolitan Police has arrested the former employee, who worked at the SanDisk/Toshiba joint venture manufacturing facility in Yokkaichi, Japan.
The news comes days after SanDisk was awarded $28.5 million (£17.16 million) in damages following a legal battle with PNY Technologies.
“SanDisk strongly believes in the value of IP, and takes protecting trade secrets seriously,” said Judy Bruner, executive vice president, administration, and chief financial officer at SanDisk.
“We are working diligently with the authorities as well as our partner on these matters and are aggressively pursuing all legal remedies available to us.”
SanDisk’s joint venture relationship with Toshiba Corporation has been in place for nearly 15 years.
