Rockwell Automation, L-3 Communication settle U.S. export violations

Rockwell Automation, L-3 Communication settle U.S. export violations

   Rockwell Automation of Milwaukee has recently agreed to pay a $46,750 civil penalty to the U.S. Commerce Department to settle charges for two recently acquired companies, Entek IRD International in the United States and Entek IRD International Ltd. in the United Kingdom.

   The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security alleged that between July 9, 1999 and April 18, 2001, Entek-US made five unauthorized exports of balancing machines to Malaysia, Mexico, and Venezuela without the required licenses. The balancing machines produced by Entek-US are controlled for nonproliferation and antiterrorism reasons.

   BIS also charged that between July 13, 1999, and March 30, 2001, Entek-US and Entek-UK exported and re-exported computer software, data collectors, monitors and related accessories to organizations in India that were on BIS’s Entity List. The Entity List is a compilation of end-users that may use certain technologies for weapons development. Shipments to Entity List end-users require licenses from the Commerce Department.

   According to BIS, Rockwell Automation voluntarily self-disclosed the violations and cooperated fully with the investigation.

   L-3 Communications of Arlington, Va., also recently agreed to pay a $33,000 civil penalty to settle charges that it exported a mobile cargo x-ray machine containing an item controlled for missile technology reasons to Dutch Customs.

   BIS said L-3 agreed to conduct transaction-by-transaction audits of eight of its companies concerning all exports of items subject to the Export Administration Regulations during the period of Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2005.