Who was sanctioned, and for what?

According to the KFTC (Korea Fair Trade Commission, Korea's competition authority), six manufacturers and distributors of printing paper fixed in advance the winning bidder, cover bidders and bid prices in six tenders issued by the publisher Nongmin News Corp. between June 2021 and November 2024; the average winning bid rate was around 96.2%, compared with 87.6% in 2018 to 2020. The KFTC issued corrective orders, imposed fines totalling KRW 3,009 million (Moorim SP KRW 59 million, Moorim Paper KRW 573 million, Moorim P&P KRW 948 million, Hansol Paper KRW 556 million, Hankuk Paper KRW 515 million, Hongwon Paper KRW 358 million).

Authority / court

Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC)

Area of law

Competition law · Cartels and collusion

Legal basis

Art. 40 Abs. 1 Nr. 8 MRFTA (Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Published

9 Sep 2026

Original amount 3,009,000,000 KRW, converted at the ECB reference rate of 9 Sep 2026.

Checked against the official source on 4 Oct 2026 · Direct link

Between March 2023 and March 2025, the Ohio manufacturer of presses for beverage can ends (nine employees) supplied, in ten instances, spare parts for aluminium forming tools worth around 264,700 USD – partly via the UAE and Turkey – without a licence to a Russian customer whose group also supplies defence precursors. In two instances, the company acted with knowledge of the violation; it admitted the allegations, which were brought by the US Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS).

Authority / court

U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)

Area of law

Sanctions and export control · Export control and dual-use goods

Legal basis

Export Administration Regulations, § 746.8(a)(5) (HTS-Codes Supplement No. 4 to Part 746), §§ 764.2(a), 764.2(e)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Employees

Under 50

Mitigating circumstances

Full cooperation; compliance programme subsequently expanded with screening, an approval process and additional export control training

Published

24 Aug 2026

Original amount 1,000,000 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 24 Aug 2026.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

In eight instances in 2019–2021, the Italian subsidiary Dini Argeo supplied weighing equipment worth around 121,500 USD to a trader in the UAE, although it knew that the goods would be passed on to a former direct Iranian customer. The parent company had passed on the Iran ban only by an English-language e-mail without explanation; the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) considered it a non-egregious, voluntarily self-disclosed case.

Authority / court

U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)

Area of law

Sanctions and export control · Breaches of sanctions and embargoes

Legal basis

Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, § 560.215 (Auslandstöchter von US-Personen)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Culpability

negligent

Repeat case

no

Mitigating circumstances

Voluntary self-disclosure, immediate internal investigation, low significance for turnover, no prior violations, cooperation; subsequent training of the subsidiary's employees and screening of traders

Published

12 Aug 2026

Original amount 60,764 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 12 Aug 2026.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

The Taiwanese LED manufacturer and its Texas subsidiary allegedly transshipped LEDs made in China via Taiwan from 2018 to 2022 and declared them to US customs as being of Taiwanese origin in order to avoid Section 301 tariffs (US punitive tariffs on Chinese goods); in addition, Chinese and Taiwanese chips were not kept separate in production until 2025. The settlement of 5.15 million USD resolves a whistleblower lawsuit brought by a former employee, who receives around 876,000 USD.

Authority / court

U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Maryland (Department of Justice) mit U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Area of law

Sanctions and export control · Customs

Legal basis

False Claims Act; Tariff Act of 1930 (Vergleich; Haftung nicht festgestellt)

Action

Other

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Published

5 Aug 2026

Original amount 5,150,000 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 5 Aug 2026.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Direct link

Over an extended period before November 2022, Airbus Operations Ltd breached the Export Control Order 2008: transfers of controlled technology under three open general export licences (OGEL) were not correctly documented, required registers were missing, and one individual licence was not complied with. The case came to light through voluntary disclosure and was concluded by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) by way of a compound settlement (date of publication).

Authority / court

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) / Export Control Joint Unit

Area of law

Sanctions and export control · Export control and dual-use goods

Legal basis

Export Control Order 2008, Art. 29(2) und 29(3) (Auflagen und Register bei OGELs) sowie Auflage einer SIEL; Straftaten nach Art. 38(1)(a) und (b); Compound Settlement durch HMRC

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Employees

10,000 or more

Mitigating circumstances

Voluntary disclosure, full cooperation, remedial measures

Published

30 Jul 2026

Original amount 6,409,388 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 30 Jul 2026.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

In July 2020 a farmer on a dairy farm in County Limerick was fatally injured by a pneumatically operated milking parlour gate designed and manufactured by Dairymaster. The company pleaded guilty to six counts; the court imposed €200,000 each for breaches of s. 16(3) and s. 16(1)(a) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (duties of designers and manufacturers), totalling €400,000, with the remaining counts taken into consideration.

Authority / court

Limerick Circuit Criminal Court (Anklage: Health and Safety Authority)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

s. 16(1)(a), 16(3) i. V. m. s. 77(2)(a), 77(9)(a) Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Published

28 Jul 2026

Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Direct link

From 2016 to 2022, three distributors of test and measuring equipment coordinated discounts as essential price components and informed each other of customer contacts, usually with a request for "restraint". This was evidenced by more than 400 emails; the proceedings ended in settlements.

Authority / court

Bundeskartellamt

Area of law

Competition law · Cartels and collusion

Legal basis

§ 1 GWB

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Mitigating circumstances

Settlement; cooperation by Elektronik-Kontor Messtechnik taken into account

Published

15 Jul 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

During a Christmas lights event at the factory shop in Hanley in November 2024, an unsecured artificial snow machine fell from a window; shards of glass injured a twelve-year-old girl on the head. The ceramics manufacturer had not assessed the risks and, contrary to the manufacturer's instructions, had not secured the machine; fine of 266,666 GBP plus 4,931 GBP in costs. According to its annual accounts (financial year to April 2025), the company had an average of 345 employees.

Authority / court

Birmingham Magistrates' Court (Anklage: Health and Safety Executive)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Regulation 10(1) Work at Height Regulations 2005; Section 3(1) Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Employees

250 to 999

Published

7 Jul 2026

Original amount 266,666 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 6 Jul 2026.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link

In cartel proceedings, the CADE Tribunal fined ten suppliers of electronic products, while the signatories of a 2014 leniency agreement (Agilent and Keysight) and one company that had fulfilled a settlement were not sanctioned. The fines on the companies initially totalled 8,362,138.05 BRL; in the virtual deliberation procedure the plenary, deciding on motions for clarification (embargos) on 17 August 2026, reduced of its own motion the fines on Datasonic (from 4,329,605.69 to 856,937.12 BRL) and D.T.I. (from 1,021,750.18 to 265,406.99 BRL), leaving 4,133,126.29 BRL. The session minutes do not identify the market concerned. The amount and the facts have not been confirmed against the primary source.

Authority / court

Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE), Tribunal Administrativo

Area of law

Competition law · Cartels and collusion

Legal basis

Lei nº 12.529/2011

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

reduced

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Liability of senior managers

Measures against individuals are not set out here.

Published

8 Jul 2026

Original amount 4,133,126.29 BRL, converted at the ECB reference rate of 1 Jul 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

An explosion and fire at a heated mixer machine at Stars Engrg Pte Ltd's Tuas worksite on 24 February 2021 killed three workers and injured seven; the company was fined a total of SGD 500,000 under the Workplace Safety and Health Act. According to investigations by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM, Singapore's labour ministry) and an inquiry committee, the machine had been kept running despite repeated warning signs such as overheating, oil leaks, smoke and a fire shortly beforehand, and there were failures in risk assessment, safe work procedures, maintenance, supervision and training. After the incident, messages significant to the investigation were also deleted.

Authority / court

Ministry of Manpower (MOM); Verurteilung durch ein Singapurer Strafgericht

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006 (WSHA); Penal Code (Behinderung der Justiz, gegen Einzelpersonen)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Liability of senior managers

Measures against individuals are not set out here.

Published

25 Jun 2026

Original amount 500,000 SGD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 25 Jun 2026.

Checked against the official source on 4 Oct 2026 · Direct link

BaFin imposed fines on the battery manufacturer because it had not disclosed inside information without delay and had not published the half-yearly financial report for the 2024 financial year.

Authority / court

Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)

Area of law

Capital markets and financial supervision · Disclosure and reporting obligations

Legal basis

Art. 17 Abs. 1 UAbs. 1 MAR; § 115 Abs. 1 Satz 1 WpHG

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Published

1 Jul 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

Økokrim (Norwegian National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime) issued an industrial company producing silicon carbide with a penalty notice of NOK 18,000,000 for breaches of the Pollution Control Act (forurensningsloven) and for giving incorrect information to Miljødirektoratet (Norwegian Environment Agency). In Økokrim's view, the air emission measurements in 2021 were not representative because, among other things, production was lower during the measurement campaigns; this created a risk that considerably more of the carcinogenic benzo[a]pyrene was emitted than permitted. The company has accepted the penalty notice.

Authority / court

Økokrim

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Forurensningsloven (Umweltschutzgesetz); falsche Angaben gegenüber Miljødirektoratet

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Culpability

intentional

Liability of senior managers

According to Økokrim, managers took the decisions on the non-representative measurements knowing that they would not reflect actual emissions.

Published

18 Jun 2026

Original amount 18,000,000 NOK, converted at the ECB reference rate of 18 Jun 2026.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link

Siemens Gamesa was fined £600,000 and ordered to pay £7,980.80 in costs. At the blade factory in Hull on 18 July 2024, a prefabricated component weighing around 800 kg fell onto an employee after support poles had been removed; she has since been paralysed from the waist down. The Health and Safety Executive found inadequate risk assessment, no safe system of work and insufficient training.

Authority / court

Grimsby Magistrates' Court (Anklage: Health and Safety Executive)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Section 2(1) Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Mitigating circumstances

Guilty plea; after the accident the supports were secured with a key-controlled system.

Published

26 May 2026

Original amount 600,000 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 22 May 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

The Californian manufacturer of PVA brushes for wafer cleaning sold goods worth around 400,000 USD on 18 occasions between 2021 and 2024 via two Chinese distributors to SMIC Beijing and SMIC North, both on the Entity List (the US export control list of restricted parties). The company had no formal export compliance rules; the penalty of 1.7 million USD is suspended for one year owing to limited ability to pay and will be waived if training and an internal audit are completed on time.

Authority / court

U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)

Area of law

Sanctions and export control · Export control and dual-use goods

Legal basis

Export Administration Regulations, 15 C.F.R. § 764.2(a), § 744.11

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Culpability

negligent

Mitigating circumstances

Payment suspended owing to demonstrated limited ability to pay; deliveries stopped after notification by BIS (Bureau of Industry and Security).

Published

14 Apr 2026

Original amount 1,700,000 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 13 Apr 2026.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Direct link

From 13 May 2015 to 20 November 2023, Nexans granted companies of the Sonepar group exclusive rights to import Nexans cables into La Réunion, Mayotte, French Guiana, Martinique and Guadeloupe, which Art. L. 420-2-1 of the Code de commerce (French Commercial Code) prohibits for the overseas territories. In a settlement procedure the Autorité de la concurrence (French Competition Authority) imposed EUR 3 million on Nexans France (jointly with Nexans SA) and EUR 3.5 million on the Sonepar companies involved, EUR 6.5 million in total. It is the authority’s first decision based on a report by a person with protected whistleblower status.

Authority / court

Autorité de la concurrence

Area of law

Competition law · Cartels and collusion

Legal basis

Art. L. 420-2-1 Code de commerce; Vergleichsverfahren nach Art. L. 464-2 III Code de commerce

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

under appeal

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Mitigating circumstances

Settlement procedure (transaction): the companies did not contest the objections.

Published

2 Apr 2026

Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Direct link

In August 2024 two employees of the Leeds plastics fabricator lost parts of fingers within ten days – one on an unguarded sanding machine, the other on a table saw. The HSE (Health and Safety Executive, Britain's workplace safety regulator) found inadequate guarding, insufficient saw training, no safe systems of work and no suitable risk assessment; fine of 16,000 GBP plus 6,534 GBP in costs for the business, which had 17 employees according to its annual accounts.

Authority / court

Leeds Magistrates' Court (Anklage: Health and Safety Executive)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Section 2(1) Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974; Regulation 3(1) Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Employees

Under 50

Published

26 Mar 2026

Original amount 16,000 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 26 Mar 2026.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link

In June 2024 timber kicked back from an inadequately guarded stack saw at the Gisborne sawmill and seriously injured a worker's arm; seven weeks later another worker was crushed between two forklifts and suffered spinal and pelvic fractures. WorkSafe (New Zealand's workplace health and safety regulator) found systemic failings in machine guarding, risk assessment, traffic management, training and maintenance; the company had not notified the first incident and had not acted on earlier formal directions to fix the risks. On 18 March 2026 the Gisborne District Court imposed a fine of 601,250 NZD and 100,754 NZD in reparation.

Authority / court

Gisborne District Court (Anklage: WorkSafe New Zealand)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, ss 36(1)(a), 48(1), 48(2)(c)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Published

30 Mar 2026

Original amount 601,250 NZD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 18 Mar 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

Manufacturers and suppliers of copper and aluminium cables coordinated a common calculation of the metal surcharge, which makes up a significant part of the final price; an industry association acted as facilitator. The Protimonopolný úrad Slovenskej republiky (Antimonopoly Office of the Slovak Republic, PMÚ SR) imposed a total of 97,434,800 EUR, the highest amount in a single proceeding; two leniency applicants were not fined (not final). Addressees: ELKOND HHK, a.s.; VUKI a.s.; Prysmian Kablo s.r.o.; Prysmian Kabely, s.r.o.; Kablo Vrchlabí s.r.o.; NKT s.r.o.; PRECON s.r.o.; Tele–Fonika Kabely CZ s.r.o.; KABELOVNA KABEX a. s.; Asociace výrobců kabelů a vodičů ČR a SR (leniency applicants without a fine: ICS Industrial Cables Slovakia, PRAKAB).

Authority / court

Protimonopolný úrad Slovenskej republiky (PMÚ SR)

Area of law

Competition law · Cartels and collusion

Legal basis

Slowakisches Wettbewerbsschutzgesetz (Kartellverbot)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Culpability

intentional

Published

11 Mar 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

In 2021 and 2022, Applied Materials and its Korean subsidiary exported ion implanters for semiconductor manufacturing worth around 126 million USD via Korea without a licence to a Chinese company placed on the Entity List in 2020. The penalty imposed by the US Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) corresponds to twice the transaction value and thus the statutory maximum; the compliance staff and executives responsible are no longer with the company.

Authority / court

U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)

Area of law

Sanctions and export control · Export control and dual-use goods

Legal basis

Export Administration Regulations (Entity List)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Employees

10,000 or more

Liability of senior managers

According to BIS, the responsible compliance staff and senior executives from sales and production are no longer employed.

Published

12 Feb 2026

Original amount 252,500,300 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 11 Feb 2026.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

During an improvised relocation of a 4.5-tonne machine without lifting points, using a forklift and skates, the load slid off the forks at the East Kilbride plant in 2023 and struck an employee working underneath it on the head; he suffered permanent damage to his sight, hearing and facial nerves. The lifting operation had not been planned by a competent person; fine of 433,333 GBP. According to its 2024 annual accounts, the company (now Smurfit Westrock Consumer Packaging UK Limited) employed an average of 1,397 people in the United Kingdom.

Authority / court

Hamilton Sheriff Court (Ermittlung: Health and Safety Executive)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Regulation 8(1)(a) und (c) Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Employees

1,000 to 9,999

Published

21 Jan 2026

Original amount 433,333 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 20 Jan 2026.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link

During an on-site inspection in November 2023, a Luxembourg manufacturer of technical equipment (pseudonymised in the decision as “Société A”) did not hand over its record of processing activities but only showed it in an online application; the record exported from the software the following day, with 40 entries, was incomplete and inaccurate, including as regards contact details, categories of data subjects and data, recipients and transfers to third countries. The CNPD (Commission nationale pour la protection des données, the Luxembourg data protection authority) imposed 7,000 EUR, issued a reprimand and ordered the record to be completed within two months.

Authority / court

Commission nationale pour la protection des données (CNPD), formation restreinte

Area of law

Data protection · Data subject rights and transparency

Legal basis

DSGVO Art. 30 Abs. 1 lit. a, c, d, e

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Culpability

negligent

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Direct link

The Tribunal of the Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE, Brazilian competition authority) unanimously convicted the manufacturers Elo Sistemas Eletrônicos, FAE Sistemas de Medição (formerly Fae Ferragens e Aparelhos Elétricos) and Dowertech da Amazônia (now Wasion da Amazônia) of a cartel in electricity meters, in which between 2005 and 2014 prices in public and private tenders were agreed, the market was shared and monitored and cover bids were submitted. The companies received fines of 54,238,824.03 BRL, 15,167,886.53 BRL and 3,196,631.43 BRL. The case was triggered by a leniency application in 2014; in the same session CADE approved four further settlements worth around 15.5 million BRL. The amount and the facts have not been confirmed against the primary source.

Authority / court

Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE), Tribunal Administrativo

Area of law

Competition law · Cartels and collusion

Legal basis

Lei nº 12.529/2011 (Lei de Defesa da Concorrência)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Liability of senior managers

Measures against individuals are not set out here.

Published

10 Dec 2025

Original amount 72,603,341.99 BRL, converted at the ECB reference rate of 10 Dec 2025.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

The CADE Tribunal approved a cease-and-desist settlement (TCC) with Rinnai Brasil in proceedings concerning the market for gas water heaters: according to the General Superintendence, the company had abused its dominant position by imposing minimum advertised prices on resellers, which acted as minimum advertised pricing in physical retail and in practice as resale price maintenance online. Rinnai undertook to cease the practices, to take precautions against new infringements and allegedly to pay 11,215,319.31 BRL to the Fund for Diffuse Rights (FDD). The amount and the facts have not been confirmed against the primary source.

Authority / court

Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE), Tribunal Administrativo

Area of law

Competition law · Abuse of market power

Legal basis

Lei nº 12.529/2011 (Termo de Compromisso de Cessação)

Action

Other

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Published

11 Dec 2025

Original amount 11,215,319.31 BRL, converted at the ECB reference rate of 10 Dec 2025.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

UOKiK sanctioned CNH Industrial Polska and seven dealers of the New Holland, Case IH and Steyr brands for dividing the Polish market for agricultural machinery of these brands and coordinating prices. The fines on the undertakings total PLN 338,827,000 (CNH Industrial Polska 241,599,000, Raitech 24,391,000, Perkoz 23,778,000, Adler Agro 15,335,000, Rolserwis 13,356,000, a further dealer company (partnership) 8,249,000, Kisiel Agrotech 6,778,000, Kisiel 5,341,000 PLN). Fines on natural persons are not included in the amount. The decision is not final.

Authority / court

Prezes Urzędu Ochrony Konkurencji i Konsumentów (UOKiK)

Area of law

Competition law · Cartels and collusion

Legal basis

Art. 6 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 und 3 ustawa o ochronie konkurencji i konsumentów; Art. 101 Abs. 1 lit. a und c AEUV

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

under appeal

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Liability of senior managers

Measures against individuals are not reported here.

Original amount 338,827,000 PLN, converted at the ECB reference rate of 9 Dec 2025.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Direct link

The audio electronics group (brands include Harman Kardon and JBL) allegedly imported heat sinks made of Chinese extruded aluminium from 2011 to 2023 without paying the anti-dumping and countervailing duties owed; after the failure was brought to its attention, the company allegedly did not disclose it. The settlement of 11,809,628 USD resolves a whistleblower lawsuit (share around 2.3 million USD).

Authority / court

U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Michigan (Department of Justice) mit CBP und Department of Commerce

Area of law

Sanctions and export control · Customs

Legal basis

False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729 ff. (Vergleich; Haftung nicht festgestellt)

Action

Other

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Published

26 Nov 2025

Original amount 11,809,628 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 26 Nov 2025.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Direct link

The Kartellgericht (Cartel Court) fined Pfanner Schutzbekleidung GmbH, Protos GmbH and their holding company (now Pronocer Holding GmbH) 400,000 EUR because, from 9 March 2016 to 25 November 2021, they fixed their dealers' resale prices for work and protective clothing in Austria. Compliance was monitored systematically, dealers who deviated were contacted, and in 2019 a circular reminded all dealers of the prices. Reductions were granted for the settlement, cooperation and a newly introduced compliance system.

Authority / court

Oberlandesgericht Wien als Kartellgericht (Antrag der Bundeswettbewerbsbehörde)

Area of law

Competition law · Cartels and collusion

Legal basis

§ 1 Abs. 1 und 4 KartG und Art. 101 AEUV; § 29 Z 1 lit. a und d KartG

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Repeat case

no

Mitigating circumstances

Consensual termination of the proceedings, cooperation with the BWB (Federal Competition Authority), introduction of a compliance system.

Published

18 Sep 2026

Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Direct link

In 2023 an employee was killed by a reversing HGV on the service road of the shared industrial estate in Birmingham. The company had not assessed the risks of workplace transport, had neither avoided reversing nor made it safer with banksmen or signage, and had not controlled HGV access; fine of 240,000 GBP plus 6,917 GBP in costs. According to its 2024 annual accounts, the company employed an average of 37 people.

Authority / court

Birmingham Magistrates' Court (Anklage: Health and Safety Executive)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Section 2(1) und 3(1) Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Employees

Under 50

Published

7 Oct 2025

Original amount 240,000 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 6 Oct 2025.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 3 · Direct link

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a Withhold Release Order: bicycles, bicycle parts and accessories from Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (Taiwan) are being detained at all US ports of entry because there are indications of forced labour (ILO indicators including debt bondage, withholding of wages, excessive overtime and abusive working and living conditions). Detained shipments can be destroyed, re-exported or released upon proof of admissibility.

Authority / court

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Area of law

Supply chain and human rights · Forced and child labour

Legal basis

19 U.S.C. § 1307 (Tariff Act of 1930, Section 307)

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Published

24 Sep 2025

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

At the Alloa glassworks, a shovel loader used to clear molten glass waste and hot water had been missing the protective cab door for almost two years, although the damage had been reported and other drivers had already been struck. In 2024 material spilled into the cab and scalded a 32-year-old; fine of 600,000 GBP. According to the HSE (Health and Safety Executive, Britain's workplace safety regulator), around 500 people work at the site; according to its 2024 annual accounts, the company employed an average of 642 people.

Authority / court

Stirling Sheriff Court (Ermittlung: Health and Safety Executive)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Regulation 5(1) Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998; Section 33(1) Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Employees

250 to 999

Published

30 Sep 2025

Original amount 600,000 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 23 Sep 2025.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link

On 10 September 2025 the High Court in Johannesburg fined Beautiful City (Pty) Ltd, a factory making cotton fibre products in Village Deep (Johannesburg), 300,000 ZAR. A joint inspection by the Department of Employment and Labour (labour ministry), the police and the Department of Home Affairs (home affairs ministry) in November 2019 had found mainly foreign workers without residence rights, including minors, on locked premises; the court noted, among other things, wages below the national minimum wage, failure to register with the Compensation Fund and the UIF, and an unsafe workplace.

Authority / court

High Court Johannesburg (Gauteng) (Ermittlungen u. a. Department of Employment and Labour)

Area of law

Supply chain and human rights · Forced and child labour

Legal basis

Straftatbestände Menschenhandel, Beihilfe zum Menschenhandel, Schuldknechtschaft und Nutznießung aus Menschenhandel; Verstöße gegen Vorschriften zu Unemployment Insurance Fund, Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, National Minimum Wage und Occupational Health and Safety; Beihilfe zum illegalen Aufenthalt (laut Department of Employment and Labour, ohne Paragrafenangaben)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Liability of senior managers

Measures against individuals are not set out here.

Published

10 Sep 2025

Original amount 300,000 ZAR, converted at the ECB reference rate of 10 Sep 2025.

Checked against the official source on 4 Oct 2026 · Direct link

Seatrium Ltd., Jurong Shipyard Pte. Ltd. (both Singapore) and Estaleiro Jurong Aracruz Ltda. entered into a leniency agreement with the Controladoria-Geral da União (CGU, Office of the Comptroller General) and the Advocacia-Geral da União (AGU, Office of the Attorney General) concerning undue advantages given to public officials or politicials and persons connected to them, and undue advantages obtained in contracts with the public administration. The companies allegedly acknowledged a debt of BRL 728,933,258.58, payable within 60 days; according to the companies, they have also negotiated agreements with the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF) and Singapore's Attorney-General's Chambers. The amount and the facts have not been confirmed against the primary source.

Authority / court

Controladoria-Geral da União (CGU) und Advocacia-Geral da União (AGU)

Area of law

Bribery and corruption · Bribery of public officials

Legal basis

Lei nº 12.846/2013, Art. 5 I, III und IV d, Art. 16; Lei nº 8.666/1993, Art. 88 II und III; Lei nº 8.429/1992

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Mitigating circumstances

Commitment by the CGU and AGU to avoid double payments in relation to an agreement with the MPF; obligation to improve the integrity programme.

Original amount 728,933,258.58 BRL, converted at the ECB reference rate of 30 Jul 2025.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

IDEMIA France, formerly Oberthur Technologies, undertook to pay a public interest fine of 15,541,130 EUR in a CJIP (convention judiciaire d'intérêt public, French deferred prosecution agreement) with the Paris public prosecutor. The investigation opened in 2013, including for bribery of foreign public officials and money laundering, concerned contracts between the Angolan central bank (BNA) and Oberthur Technologies from its former banknote business; validation took place on 27 June 2025.

Authority / court

Parquet de Paris (Procureure de la République); Validierung durch das Tribunal judiciaire de Paris

Area of law

Bribery and corruption · Bribery of public officials

Legal basis

Art. 41-1-2 Code de procédure pénale (corruption d'agent public étranger, blanchiment)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Published

27 Jun 2025

Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Direct link

Audio electronics group Harman International Industries, Inc. of Connecticut is paying USD 1,454,145 under a settlement with OFAC for eleven apparent violations of the Iran sanctions. According to OFAC's findings, from May 2018 to October 2020 its long-standing distributor in the United Arab Emirates sold Harman products to customers in Iran with the knowledge and support of 13 UK-based employees of its US subsidiary Harman Professional, Inc.; their conduct is attributable to Harman. OFAC treated the apparent violations as egregious but voluntarily self-disclosed; the base penalty was USD 2,077,350. Harman satisfies USD 400,000 of the settlement amount by investing in additional sanctions controls. OFAC signed the settlement agreement on 25 June 2025 and published it on 8 July 2025. Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), enforcement release "Harman International Industries, Inc. Settles with OFAC for $1,454,145 Related to Apparent Violations of Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations", 8 July 2025, https://ofac.treasury.gov/media/934471/download?inline; summarised in our own words.

Authority / court

U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)

Area of law

Sanctions and export control · Breaches of sanctions and embargoes

Legal basis

Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. § 560.204(a) (elf mutmaßliche Verstöße); Vergleich nach den Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines, 31 C.F.R. part 501, app. A

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Published

8 Jul 2025

Original amount 1,454,145 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 25 Jun 2025.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 3 · Direct link

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that Safran’s acquisition of part of the actuation and flight control business of Collins Aerospace (RTX) would result in a substantial lessening of competition in horizontal stabiliser trim actuators. Clearance was granted only in return for the undertaking to divest Safran’s North American actuation business, including sites in Mexico, California and Canada, to a pre-approved purchaser (Woodward).

Authority / court

Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)

Area of law

Competition law · Merger control

Legal basis

Enterprise Act 2002, s. 73 (Undertakings in lieu of reference)

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Employees

10,000 or more

Published

23 Jun 2025

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

In an audit campaign on records of processing activities, the Commission nationale pour la protection des données (Luxembourg data protection authority, CNPD) found that an engineering and design consultancy (pseudonymised as ‘Société A’) had omitted mandatory information such as name and contact details, categories of data subjects and data, and retention periods. It imposed 7,000 EUR.

Authority / court

Commission nationale pour la protection des données (CNPD) – formation restreinte

Area of law

Data protection

Legal basis

DSGVO Art. 30 Abs. 1 lit. a, c, f

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

The Kartellgericht (Cartel Court) imposed fines totalling 634,000 EUR for vertical resale price maintenance on Sennheiser-brand consumer electronics audio products (headphones): 534,000 EUR on Sennheiser electronic SE & Co KG for May 2015 to February 2022 and 100,000 EUR on Sonova AG for March to September 2022. Retailers were given end-customer prices whose observance was monitored; both companies cooperated and did not contest the facts.

Authority / court

Oberlandesgericht Wien als Kartellgericht (Antrag der Bundeswettbewerbsbehörde)

Area of law

Competition law · Cartels and collusion

Legal basis

Art. 101 Abs. 1 AEUV und § 1 Abs. 1 KartG; § 29 Z 1 lit. a und d KartG

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Culpability

intentional

Repeat case

no

Mitigating circumstances

Full cooperation in clarifying the facts; all essential facts left undisputed (acknowledgement).

Published

16 Dec 2025

Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Direct link

In May 2023 all rainbow trout died in a toxicity test on the effluent of the pulp mill, which is discharged via a creek into Lake Superior; in the same month the mill also exceeded the limit for total reduced sulphur (TRS) in its air emissions four times. The court convicted the company of two offences under the Environmental Protection Act and fined it CAD 525,000 plus a victim fine surcharge of CAD 131,250.

Authority / court

Gericht in Thunder Bay (Ermittlung und Anklage: Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Environmental Protection Act (Ontario), RSO 1990, c E.19 – Abwasserqualität nach der Umweltgenehmigung (Environmental Compliance Approval) und Industriestandard für TRS-Emissionen

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Mitigating circumstances

According to the ministry, the company reported the test result and each TRS exceedance as required, immediately investigated the causes of the exceedances and submitted an abatement plan; weekly follow-up tests of the effluent showed no further failures.

Published

14 Jul 2025

Original amount 525,000 CAD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 14 Mar 2025.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

Following a referral from the public prosecutor's office in Rennes, the PNF investigated bribery of foreign public officials in the performance of a contract for the supply of ambulances to Algeria. KLUBB France is paying a public interest fine of 558,024 EUR and is undergoing a three-year AFA compliance programme.

Authority / court

Parquet national financier (PNF); Validierung durch den Präsidenten des Tribunal judiciaire de Paris

Area of law

Bribery and corruption · Bribery of public officials

Legal basis

Art. 41-1-2 Code de procédure pénale (CJIP); Bestechung ausländischer Amtsträger

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Employees

50 to 249

Culpability

intentional

Liability of senior managers

The CJIP does not address the criminal liability of natural persons.

Published

11 Feb 2025

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

In January 2023, in the warehouse of a manufacturer of industrial doors in Didam (anonymised in the judgment), a 792 kg pallet fell from an unstable stack four high onto a new employee, who died; the forklift used, fitted with fork extensions, had no CE marking of its own and was unsuitable for the load, the risk assessment was incomplete and the instruction of the victim, who did not speak Dutch, was inadequate. The Overijssel District Court (Rechtbank Overijssel, economic division) imposed 100,000 EUR (of which 25,000 EUR suspended) for intentional violations of the Dutch Working Conditions Act (Arbowet), plus 17,500 EUR in damages to the mother (ECLI:NL:RBOVE:2025:711).

Authority / court

Rechtbank Overijssel (economische kamer)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Art. 32 Arbeidsomstandighedenwet i. V. m. Art. 5 Abs. 1, 8 Abs. 1 Arbeidsomstandighedenwet; Art. 3.17, 7.2 Abs. 1, 7.18 Abs. 2 Arbeidsomstandighedenbesluit

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Culpability

intentional

Mitigating circumstances

No previous convictions of the company; part of the fine suspended.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

According to the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), from December 2019 to March 2022 the Californian machine tool manufacturer indirectly supplied, via its dealer network, one CNC machine, 13 spare parts orders and seven unlock codes for machines of blocked Russian defence and energy companies. According to OFAC, Haas agreed to a settlement of 1,044,781 USD with OFAC (OFAC treated eight of the 21 apparent violations as egregious; no voluntary self-disclosure); at the same time, Haas reached a separate settlement of 1.5 million USD with the US Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), which is not included in the amount shown. Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), enforcement release "Haas Automation, Inc. Settles with OFAC for $1,044,781 for Apparent Violations of the Ukraine-/Russia-related Sanctions Regulations", 17 January 2025, https://ofac.treasury.gov/media/933956/download?inline; summarised in our own words.

Authority / court

U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC); parallel U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)

Area of law

Sanctions and export control · Breaches of sanctions and embargoes

Legal basis

Ukraine-/Russia-Related Sanctions Regulations (31 C.F.R. part 589; E.O. 13662); Export Administration Regulations

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Mitigating circumstances

Substantial remedial measures and extensive cooperation

Published

17 Jan 2025

Original amount 1,044,781 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 17 Jan 2025.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link