PPG sues Chinese firm over pilfered trade secrets

A Chinese glass company and two of its executives bought PPG's trade secrets from a disgruntled retired employee, PPG Industries Inc. claims in a federal lawsuit filed Friday against the Chinese firm and the executives.

Federal agents arrested retired chemist Thomas Rukavina, 62, of Plum in May for selling corporate secrets to Jiangsu Tie Mao Glass Co. Ltd. of Jiangsu, China. Rukavina killed himself in June while charges were pending.

A spokesperson for Tie Mao Glass couldn't be reached for comment.

PPG claims that the Chinese company recruited Rukavina and paid him an $80,000 signing bonus to reveal the company's technology. Rukavina emailed a confidential report in June 2014 to Chairman and CEO Benhua Wu, and glass engineer and purchasing agent Mei Zhang, the lawsuit says.

Mei in February sent an email to a PPG subcontractor that manufactures molds for high-speed transportation windows and used PPG's drawings and pictures to solicit similar molds, the lawsuit says. The subcontractor notified PPG, who notified the FBI, the lawsuit says.

PPG is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, the return of its documents and a permanent injunction barring the Chinese company from using the technology.

Brian Bowling is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-325-4301 or bbowling@tribweb.com.