US: Former Espar executives indicted of price fixing

Two former executives of Espar Inc and a current official have been indicted for conspiring to fix the prices of heaters used in trucks to keep drivers warm, the Justice Department said on Wednesday.

Volker Hohensee, a former president of Espar, Frank Haeusler, a former vice president of a German affiliate, and Harald Sailer, who is still with the company, were accused of working with rivals to push up prices for heaters sold between 2007 and 2012, the department said. Espar has already pleaded guilty to price-fixing, and has paid a fine of $14.9 million.

“These senior company officials conspired to fix the aftermarket prices of parking heaters sold to hundreds of businesses throughout the United States and North America,” said Bill Baer, head of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, in a statement.

The Justice Department and antitrust enforcers around the world have been investigating price-fixing in auto parts for several years. More than 35 companies have pleaded guilty, and more than 60 executives have been charged.

Full content: Reuters

Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.