The U.S. government says bankrupt supplier First Brands underpaid tariffs on imported goods for years, adding another major development to the company’s ongoing collapse and its growing fallout across the automotive aftermarket distribution channel.
Latest In Legal & Regulatory Issues
The DOJ charged four major container manufacturers — which combine to produce nearly all of the world's standard unfrigerated shipping containers — and seven of their executives with allegedly conspiring to restrict output and inflate prices during the pandemic-era supply chain crisis.
NAW joined a growing coalition urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a Colorado ruling allowing climate liability claims against energy companies to proceed under state law.
A proposed class-action lawsuit filed in federal court accuses Ace Hardware and software provider Epicor of orchestrating a long-running scheme to coordinate retail pricing and allocate local markets among thousands of Ace-affiliated stores nationwide.
Two new lawsuits filed in April expand antitrust claims against major HVAC OEMs, alleging a multi-year price-fixing scheme that overcharged contractors and distributors — building on a similar class action first filed in March.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection will launch its tariff refund portal April 20, with claims expected to take 60–90 days to process — longer than previously estimated — as the agency begins the first phase of its new IEEPA duty recovery system.
Importers may eventually reclaim even liquidated IEEPA tariff payments as CBP rolls out a phased refund system covering most entries first. The update comes as the Trump administration launches new and revised duties, raising both recovery opportunities and cost risks for distributors. Get the key details here.
Seven major HVAC manufacturers are named in a federal class action lawsuit alleging coordinated price-fixing that began during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The administration is pushing for a single federal AI standard to replace a growing patchwork of state rules. If enacted, the framework could simplify compliance for distributors and accelerate AI adoption across the sector — with broad implications for software vendors and digital strategy. Here's what to know.
The whistleblower will receive a 10% share of the settlement.
The agency plans to overhaul its current sytem that would require about 4.4 million man-hours to process refunds for each of the 53 million entries tor IEEPA tariff payments.
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down Trump's tariffs with a 6-3 decision, though the president hit back with a pledged new one on Friday before raising it a day later. Meanwhile, the potential refund process remains an open question.
Wesco has filed a federal lawsuit against fellow distributor Eckart Supply and six former employees, alleging a coordinated effort to poach more than 30 workers, divert customers and misappropriate trade secrets to build a competing Georgia operation. Get all the key details and context here.
The ruling prevents Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality from enforcing the Act against NAW Members until the court rules on the merits.
A federal judge has rejected Amazon’s bid to dismiss a major consumer lawsuit alleging price gouging during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The U.S. Justice Department filed a civil complaint against SB&D, alleging the toolmaker failed to promptly report safety hazards tied to certain DeWALT utility bars and miter saws. The case seeks civil penalties and injunctive relief.
Two distributors caught in tariff enforcement sweep; one to pay a $54M settlement and another's COO faces prison.
The FTC says combining Henkel’s Loctite brand with Liquid Nails would eliminate head-to-head competition between the two largest construction adhesive brands sold through major U.S. home improvement retailers.
The association says the state’s law is driving unexpected and unsustainable costs for businesses across the interstate supply chain.
As distributors expand and diversify, compliance risks are ever-present and can result in operational disruption if due diligence is overlooked. Here, we discuss what’s at stake for the industry on this front and how MDM’s Dec. 11 webcast is set to tackle this issue head-on.