A German businessman has confessed to attempting to sell trade secrets belonging to Velux to the skylight competitor Fakro, revisiting a case that dates back to 2016. The admission comes five years after he initially denied involvement.
© Alpar Benedek | Dreamstime
The incident occurred on 31 March 2016 at a meeting in Karlsruhe, Germany, where the German met with a Fakro representative carrying a document titled "Firma Fakro," outlining confidential information on Velux's strategy, factory closures, and new window technology. The businessman confirmed that the plan was to sell the secrets for one million euros.
Velux estimates that the stolen trade secrets could have caused losses of at least five billion kroner if acquired by a competitor. Fakro reportedly refused to purchase the documents.
In the original trial, the former Velux manager involved was sentenced to two years in prison in 2020, while the German's case was initially dismissed due to jurisdiction issues. The High Court overturned that decision in 2023, sending the case back to the district court, where the German has now pleaded guilty.
Both defendants remain under a naming ban, and the former Velux boss has appealed his 2020 conviction, with the appeal scheduled to be heard by the High Court in October.
Source: www.wood-supply.dk
