Construction Firm Sues Over Head-hunting

The insolvent German construction company Walter Bau is suing bigger rival Bilfinger Berger for allegedly poaching top-level executives, a company spokesman said on

Thursday. Walter Bau had asked a court in Munich to issue a temporary injunction against Bilfinger Berger, Germany's second-biggest construction group, to prevent it from taking on 15-20 managers who had been recruited from Walter Bau's road construction unit Walter Heilit, the spokesman said. Bilfinger Berger's actions amounted to "unfair competition" aimed at weakening Walter Bau, the spokesman said. The two companies have been at loggerheads ever since Bilfinger Berger was pipped at the post by Austrian firm Strabag in the race to take over key Walter Bau assets, including the profitable road construction activities, after Walter Bau filed for insolvency at the beginning of February. However, Bilfinger Berger rejected the charges. "We contest the accusation of poaching staff," a spokesman for the Mannheim-based company said, adding that Bilfinger Berger was not aware of any injunction or a possible suit by Walter Bau.