BDI Co. utilizes “digital thermal resin transfer imaging” in its specialty of producing signs and decals advertising car washes for service stations. The founder of the company spent a number of months developing the product. As business grew, he hired two employees who assisted with all phases of the work. The two employees became dissatisfied and joined up with a former employer who was starting a new company. The employees had not been required by BDI to sign non-competition agreements and the company did not have a formal confidentiality policy. The new company used the same imaging process. Within a week, it was able to ship full sign packages to numerous former customers of BDI. BDI sued the former employees.