A parts distributor has filed a substantial price-fixing lawsuit alleging an illegal cartel among the world’s major manufacturers of automotive oil, fuel, air and transmission filters, spanning since at least January 1, 1999.

The lawsuit alleges that a former sales executive at two of the companies has turned informant and has given recorded statements detailing meetings and agreements between and among manufacturers, to coordinate prices and allocate customers as a means of maximizing profits and artificially elevating the price of filters in the United States.

The companies named as defendants in the action are:

Champion Laboratories, Inc., Purolator Filters N.A. LLC, Honeywell International, Wix Filtration Products, Cummins Filtration Inc., The Donaldson Company, Baldwin Filters, Inc., Bosch U.S.A., Mann + Hummel U.S.A., Inc., Arvinmeritor, Inc. United Components, Inc., and The Carlyle Group.

Malkinson & Halpern, P.C. concentrates part of its practice in representing businesses that are the victims of price-fixing by their suppliers. Please contact John R. Malkinson if you have questions or related information, and if your business purchased automotive filters directly from any of the above companies during the relevant period.

Damages/Rights: Direct purchasers from a price-fixing co-conspirator are generally deemed damaged as a matter of law, regardless of whether or not they passed their pricing on to their own customers. Under federal law, such purchasers are entitled to a variety of relief, including triple damages and attorneys fees. For a list of similar cases the firm has participated in on a contingent fee basis, click here.