A U.S. steel company filed a petition with the U.S. International Trade Commission, seeking to block imports of some stainless steel products from India, Germany and Taiwan, claiming competitors are using stolen trade secrets. Valbruna Slater Stainless and Valbruna Stainless of Fort Wayne, Indiana, which manufacture stainless steel forging billets, round cornered square billets and stainless steel bars, and their Italian parent Acciaierie Valbruna said the petition aimed to protect their intellectual property rights. The foreign companies named in the complaint are India's Viraj Profiles Limited, German affiliate Flanschenwerk Bebitz GmbH and Taiwan's Ta Chen Stainless Pipe Co, along with associated companies. "The proposed respondents' unfair acts have substantially injured Valbruna by undercutting the market for Valbruna steel and taking away Valbruna's customers," the petition said. "Valbruna seeks a limited exclusion order and a cease and desist order to stop the proposed respondents from continuing to profit from the misappropriation of Valbruna's trade secrets and injuring Valbruna." The complaint covers stainless steel semifinished products, such as ingots and billets; stainless steel wire rod in coils; stainless steel bars and shapes; wire; and downstream stainless steel products, such as flanges, forgings, and fasteners. (Reuters)