European distributor claims theft of secrets, contract violations against Walker Manufacturing

Editor’s note: This report was edited after publication to add a comment from Bob Walker.

TIMNATH — A Switzerland-based company that handled distribution of Walker Manufacturing Co. lawn mowers in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East has filed a lawsuit against Walker and Federica Spano, a former employee of the distributor now alleged to work directly for Walker.

E-Gate Holding AG alleged in the lawsuit filed Thursday that Walker conspired with Spano to misappropriate confidential records and trade secrets about the distributor network in order to take direct control of the process and cut E-Gate out of commissions and other…