Justice Department Launches Investigation into Price Fixing of Electronic Capacitors
The U.S. Department of Justice and various international competition authorities have launched an investigation into potential price fixing in the market for capacitors. Capacitors are a key part of an electrical circuit used to store an electrical charge. Electrical circuits are found in all electronics used today—everything from household appliances to smart phones to automobiles. The overall market for capacitors is enormous. In 2013 alone, global revenues for manufacturers of capacitors totaled approximately $16 billion. The manufacturers of two specific types of capacitors—aluminum capacitors and tantalum electrolytic capacitors—conspired to fix the prices of these types of capacitors and restrain the output of these capacitors beginning in 2005.
The entities or persons who were hurt by this conduct are those that purchased either an aluminum or tantalum electrolytic capacitor in the United States from any of the capacitor manufacturers listed below at any time between January 1, 2005 and the present.
Capacitor Manufacturers:
Tantalum Capacitors
- Panasonic
- Sanyo
- Taiyo Yuden
- NEC Tokin
- Kemet
- Nippon Chemi-Con
- United Chemi-Con
- Hitachi Chemical
- Nichicon
- AVX
- Rubycon
- ELNA
- Matsuo Electric
- Toshin Kogyo
- Vishay Intertechnology
- Samsung Electro-Mechanics
- Rohm
If you manufactured any electronic devices or any electronic components, including televisions, computers, phones, tablets, videos game consoles, automobiles, power inverters, etc., you're likely directly damaged and should contact us for a free legal consultation.
If you distributed any electronic devices, including companies that supply local electronic stores like Radio Shack and companies that fix electronics, you're likely directly damaged and should contact us for a free legal consultation.
