[Porchdog]

I used to work for a manufacturer of fire protection equipment.

One of our competitors had noticeable interchange of their employees with one of the approval agencies. This same competitor was notorious for copying new product innovations from other companies (and no, patents don't always discourage that).

We reached the point where we insisted that certain agency employees have no access to our samples that were being tested. We further insisted that long term corrosion tests be locked up and we would seal the locks.

I remain convince that approval agencies are a hotbed of industrial espionage.