SolidWorks distributors 8companies fined 23billion 7,200million won
The Fair Trade Commission has decided to impose a total fine of 8SolidWorks distributors for colluding to set minimum selling prices and restrict business partners, amounting to 23billion 7,200million won. The companies concerned were found to have agreed on prices and quotation submission standards through meetings of their presidents.
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The Fair Trade Commission decided on 7month 9to impose a total fine of 8SolidWorks distributors amounting to 23billion 7,200million won. The commission said the measure was taken because the companies had colluded to set minimum selling prices and restrict business partners.
The businesses concerned are Nodedata Co., Ltd., Maven Co., Ltd., Solco Co., Ltd., Webs System Korea Co., Ltd., Weverman C Co., Ltd., K&Solution Co., Ltd., Hanyoung Solutech Co., Ltd., and Prism Co., Ltd., among 8companies.
The Fair Trade Commission determined that they engaged in the conduct from 2021year 8month to 2024year 7month.
The investigation found that the companies set minimum selling prices for their products through meetings of their presidents and agreed to submit quotations above predetermined amounts when specific customers requested quotes from multiple sellers.
The investigation also found that they raised the minimum selling prices and maintenance prices twice and strengthened the sales-protection criteria on three occasions, expanding the scope of their application.
The combined sales of the relevant sellers related to SOLIDWORKS were recorded at 1,139 hundred million won.
The Korea Fair Trade Commission also issued corrective orders. SOLIDWORKS is product lifecycle management (PLM) software developed by Dassault Systèmes, a program that manages processes from design through production, distribution, and disposal.
The Korea Fair Trade Commission explained that its investigation confirmed circumstances indicating that the collusion took place after competition intensified and selling prices fell following corrective orders and the imposition of surcharges on Dassault Systèmes Korea in the 2020 year.