COMPRESSOR manufacturer Embraco has been served with a £1.48m fine in New Zealand for its part in a compressor cartel with an unnamed competitor.
The fine follows a settlement announced in October when New Zealand's Commerce Commission filed proceedings against Embraco. The compressor manufacturer was also ordered to pay the Commission $50,000 in costs.

The case involved Embraco and a competitor exchanging information between January 2005 and November 2006. The exchanges related to prices, production capacities and other market intelligence concerning the supply in New Zealand of certain refrigerator compressors. As a result of the information exchanges, Embraco and its competitor came to an understanding and expectation that each company would seek to increase prices for some compressor units supplied into New Zealand.

The Commission was tipped off to the cartel in 2009 following an application for immunity under the Commission's cartel leniency policy.