Exception VAR, the electronics supply chain specialist, has initiated civil proceedings at the High Court against a number of current and former employees as part of an investigation into an alleged misuse of company information and a ‘conspiracy’ to poach employees, customers and suppliers away from Exception VAR.

Competitor NCAB Group UK Limited is also named in the action, along with NCAB Group’s holding company in Sweden and its Chief Executive and Finance Director.

Exception VAR is a subsidiary of Exception Group, the electronics contract manufacturer that provides manufactured printed circuit boards and printed circuit assemblies to a global customer base. Exception Group has sites in the UK, including Exception VAR in Calne, Wiltshire, and in low cost economies in India and Asia.

Craig Wright, Chief Executive of the Exception Group and Director of Exception VAR, said: “We have issued and served proceedings in the High Court of Justice in London on Howard Goff, Andrew Steele, Ann Harwood, Steve Strevens, Christopher Nuttall, Celine Nuttall, Sonia Brunsdon, Mark Sykes, NCAB Group UK Limited, NCAB Holding AB, Hans Lennart Stahl and Anders Erik Forsen.

“We have also obtained injunctions. These will preserve evidence and over the course of the next week or so we will be able to look to see the extent of the misuse of company information and the conspiracy to poach employees, customers and suppliers away from Exception VAR.

“The injunctions also prevent the Defendants from using our confidential information and prevent Howard Goff and Steve Strevens from working for NCAB Group UK Limited or NCAB Holding AB for the time being.”

Of those named all are ex-employees, with the exception of Howard Goff, formerly Managing Director of Exception VAR who is currently on gardening leave, and Commercial Director Steve Strevens. Hans Lennart Stahl is Chief Executive of NCAB Holdings and Anders Erik Forsen is its Finance Director.

Craig Wright added: “Due to the nature of the issues involved we cannot comment further, except to say that Exception VAR continues to trade as a robust and successful business.”

Exception VAR has appointed a new Managing Director, Mark O’Connor, along with a number of other senior appointments.