03
Dec
By Eric Schweibenz
On November 24, 2014, ALJ Theodore R. Essex issued Order No. 5 in Certain Stainless Steel Products, Certain Processes for Manufacturing or Relating to Same and Certain Products Containing Same (Inv. No. 337-TA-933).

By way of background, this investigation is based on a September 5, 2014 complaint filed by Valbruna Slater Stainless, Inc., Valbruna Stainless Inc., and Acciaierie Valbruna S.p.A. (collectively, "Valbruna") alleging violation of Section 337 in the importation into the U.S. and sale of certain stainless steel products manufactured using Valbruna's allegedly stolen trade secrets.  See our September 8, 2014 and October 9, 2014 posts for more details on the complaint and Notice of Investigation, respectively.

In the Order, ALJ Essex set the procedural schedule and determined that the evidentiary hearing in this investigation will commence on July 13, 2015; any final initial determination should be filed no later than October 12, 2015; and the target date for completing the investigation is February 10, 2016 (which is approximately sixteen months after institution of the investigation).  Lastly, ALJ Essex ordered the parties by December 15, 2014 to jointly submit an amended protective order as well as the date for Valbruna to provide the Respondents with "final identification of all trade secrets, together with supporting documents, alleged in the complaint to have been misappropriated."