Facing allegations from a major artificial turf manufacturer that it poached one of its executives and trade secrets, TenCate has struck back. The rival turf company claimed Tuesday that it has “no idea what information might be encompassed” by the allegedly stolen files, demanding the suit’s dismissal.
TenCate vs FieldTurf: TenCate Moves to Dismiss
In a motion to dismiss, TenCate Americas, also known as Polyloom Corp., argued that FieldTurf USA’s lawsuit lacks a plausible theory that TenCate acquired protected information when FieldTurf’s vice president of sales switched companies. TenCate asserted that FieldTurf’s claims were based on “vague business concepts” supposedly misappropriated, without alleging that TenCate has used the stolen data.
“Both alone and in combination, FieldTurf’s alleged trade secrets are too vague and too inclusive to be considered trade secrets,” TenCate stated. “This failure alone requires dismissal of its [Defend Trade Secrets Act] claim against TenCate.”
Allegations Against Olinger
FieldTurf’s lawsuit, filed last month, accuses Martin Olinger—who spent over 15 years as its senior vice president of sales—of downloading dozens of restricted files before his resignation, violating his confidentiality agreement. According to the complaint, Olinger joined FieldTurf in 2008 and had access to sensitive data including customer lists, suppliers, warranty information, and operations protocols.
