DuPont sues ex-partner Invista over trade secrets

NEW YORK, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Chemical company DuPont Co (DD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) sued former partner Invista on Tuesday, claiming unauthorized use and misappropriation of trade secrets in DuPont's nylon engineering resins or polymers business.

In the latest salvo in a legal battle between the two companies in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, DuPont said Invista broke a Patent and Technical Information Agreement under which Invista is not allowed to use DuPont technology to make nylon engineering resins for several years.

Invista spokeswoman Mary Beth Jarvis said in a statement the company is not manufacturing, redistributing, selling or reselling engineering polymers and is fulfilling its agreements made with DuPont in 2004.

Invista in turn accused DuPont of not meeting its obligations "ranging from environmental, health and safety indemnities to confidentiality and protection of intellectual property it sold to Invista."

The lawsuit said Invista had contacted various DuPont engineering resins customers in recent months, offering for sale its manufactured nylon engineering resin products and informing them of Invista's ability to make nylon engineering resin products.

On Oct. 31 a U.S. judge dismissed a lawsuit filed in August by Invista which accused DuPont and France's Rhodia SA (RHA.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) of conspiring to steal proprietary technology used in nylon production by privately held Koch Industries Inc.

Koch bought Invista from DuPont for more than $4 billion in 2004.

Invista had sought to block DuPont and Rhodia from using and disclosing its technology for producing adiponitrile (ADN), a chemical used in the manufacture of nylon. Invista contended it bought the ADN technology from DuPont as part of the 2004 transaction. (Reporting by Grant McCool; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)