Bosch says Dyson talking bosh on industrial espionage

Who needs "Airblade" technology anyhow?

British engineering firm Dyson has initiated court proceedings in the High Court in London against its German rival Bosch over alleged misuse of confidential information.

Dyson claims that an employee, who was part of a team of 100 engineers working on its digital motors, was passing information to Bosch for up to two years. The motors are used in its cordless vacuum cleaners as well as in its Airblade hand dryers.

According to news reports, Dyson is claiming that confidential information was passed by the employee to Bosch's Chinese motor manufacturer, and that a company was set up with the sole purpose of making payments from Bosch to the employee.

Bosch has issued a press release saying that the employee in question, when taken on by Dyson, had "a pre-existing consultancy agreement with Bosch Lawn and Garden Limited in relation to garden products, and not vacuum cleaners or hand dryers as Dyson implies." Bosch says it is trying to establish from Dyson what confidential information, if any, passed between Dyson and Bosch.

Thus far, the IPKat sees little detail in the news reports beyond the conflicting accounts above. If any readers can fill in missing details, they are welcome to do so in the comments below or by emailing theipkat@gmail.com.