South32 defends Hillside Aluminium amid alleged intellectual property theft in Australia

SOUTH32 said on Tuesday that it will defend its South African subsidiary, Hillside Alluminium, against a claim made by an Australian company that it improperly used intellectual property from an engineering and transport contractor to develop its own systems.

- TAWANDA KAROMBO

Strang International, an Australian engineering contractor, has dragged South32 to the Federal Court of Australia, complaining that the diversified resources group and its South African subsidiary, Hillside Aluminium, stole intellectual property.

According to Strang International, which was contracted to the international resource group, the documents and information were then unprocedurally used by South32 to develop a metal transportation system for Hillside Aluminium operations in South Africa.

South32 on Tueday confirmed to Business Report that it will defend itself and its South African subsidiary against the claims.

“South32 confirms that Strang International Pty Ltd (and one other Strang entity) have commenced legal proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia against South32 Ltd and South32 subsidiary entity Hillside Aluminium Pty Ltd in the form of an interlocutory application.

The South32 entities are defending the matter,’ the company said in an emailed response to questions.