The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued a judgment without opinion affirming the International Trade Commission’s (ITC) decision in Indian stainless steel manufacturer Viraj Profiles Limited v. ITC (2016-2482) that resulted in a limited exclusion order against Indian stainless steel producer Viraj Profiles Limited.

The exclusion order bans import of stainless steel products from Mumbai-based Viraj for 16.7 years and prohibits all of the company’s activities related to the sale of its stainless steel products in the U.S., including marketing, advertising and soliciting distributors for its products.

In 2016, Mumbai-based Viraj was issued a limited exclusion and cease-and-desist order by the ITC stemming from a 2014 complaint alleging the theft of trade secrets from Valbruna Slater Stainless Inc. The order was issued after the ITC found Viraj in default for destroying evidence and providing false testimony under oath during the investigation.

Italy-based Valbruna, which operates a stainless mill in Fort Wayne, Indiana, alleged Viraj induced one of its employees to steal the company’s trade secrets and transfer them to Viraj while the ex-employee was hired by Bebitz of Germany, a Viraj affiliate.

Valbruna alleges the stolen trade secrets included proprietary knowledge regarding its processes for melting, refining, and casting or pouring stainless steel, as well as customer lists. Italian courts have previously convicted Viraj India, its general manager, and the former Valbruna employee of crimes in connection with the theft.