Employees' faces turn red in US fraud case

The inventor of an ink that turns cans a different colour when a drink is cold has found four of its former employees guilty of copying its proprietary technology.

Chromatic Technologies (CTI) said a Colorado court jury found the workers misappropriated company trade secrets and business information in circumstances of fraud, malice and a “wilful and wanton disregard of CTI’s rights”.

A Preliminary Injunction has been issued, prohibiting further misappropriation of CTI’s trade secrets by the defendants.

Founder and president Lyle Small said his team was investigating the matter further.

“CTI has spent 21 years innovating with chemistry that helps brands alert, protect and surprise their customers,” he said.

“We take our intellectual property very seriously and will protect it.”

CTI manufactures thermochromic materials for packaging and exports to 52 countries. It was recently awarded new patents for thermochromic ink for metal decoration, and a children's drawing device featuring a pen and erasable mat.