US manufacturers face price-fixing lawsuit
1st April 2026
USA: Leading US residential and commercial air conditioning manufacturers have been accused of price fixing and overcharging in a civil antitrust action.
The companies included in the private enforcement action, filed in a federal district court in Michigan by Minnesota resident Alyssa Berg, include Robert Bosch, Johnson Controls Trane Technologies, Mitsubishi Electric Trane, Carrier, Viessmann, Daikin, Lennox and Rheem.
The plaintiff claims that the companies exploited the covid-19 supply chain disruptions and regulatory transitions to fix prices and overcharge for HVAC equipment.
It is claimed that this was achieved through a series of frequent and repeated secret meetings, information sharing, communications, and public signalling.
The action names the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), as a vehicle for the defendants “to implement extensive sharing of information available only to AHRI members who also agreed to share their own data with their competitors”.
It also accuses the defendants of using the leading US trade magazine ACHR News to announce their price increases to and provide commentary on their pricing and supply plans.
The plaintiff alleges that the defendants entered into an agreement from at least as early as January 1, 2020.
The full list of defendants names Robert Bosch LLC, Robert Bosch Gmbh, JC Residential And Light Commercial LLC, Johnson Controls Hitachi Air Conditioning North America LLC, Trane Technologies Plc, Trane US Inc, Mitsubishi Electric Trane Hvac US, Carrier Global Corp, Viessmann Manufacturing Co (US) Inc, Daikin Industries Ltd, Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Daikin Applied Americas, Thermalnetics, LLC, Lennox International Inc, Lennox Industries Inc, Allied Air Enterprises LLC, Rheem Manufacturing Co, Heat Transfer Products Group LLC, Aaon Inc, a Nevada Corporation, Aaon Inc, an Oklahoma Corporation, Aaon Coil Products Inc, and Basx Inc.
