FOLLOWING an application by a disgruntled competitor, the Trade Remedies Authority is conducting an anti-dumping investigation to determine whether injury is being caused to the United Kingdom due to dumping of “Certain Engine Oils and Hydraulic Fluids imported into the UK from Lithuania and the United Arab Emirates”.
Northamptonshire company Lubriage Ltd trades as Mannol UK & Ireland, with exclusive distribution agreements.
Mannol has consistently defended its growing market share, for which it credits efficiencies in production, packaging, transport and economies of scale, as well as a growing reputation for quality.
The company makes no apology for being seen as ‘something of a disruptor’.
As part of that defence, Mannol has co-operated with the TRA, despite the investigation being into the prices charged by overseas companies.
Mannol has submitted a significant amount of evidence from its base in Kettering, where it employs around 60 staff. The company has retained the services of Northamptonshire law firm Wilson Browne Solicitors to represent them nd they have already taken action successfully against several defamatory social media posts made by their critics.
As part of the TRA investigation, a detailed verification process was conducted: its purpose was to determine whether the information provided by Mannol was complete, relevant and accurate and if it can be used in the investigation.
The Official Verification Report from the TRA states: “Based on the verification activity undertaken, the TRA has a reasonable level of assurance on the completeness, relevance and accuracy of the information provided by Lubriage and we can use it for the purpose of this investigation.”
Jevgenij Lyzko, managing director of Lubriage, said: “While I am pleased to see this public recognition of the accuracy of our records, it holds no surprises as we always had the utmost confidence in the transparency and legitimacy of our operations.
“Despite the vociferous and repeated attacks on our reputation by one of our competitors, we have chosen to say very little publicly about this, choosing to focus on our products, business and customers.
“Our staff are a massive part of our business and one of our best assets. This confirmation means as much to them as it does our customers: it is a real vindication that – whatever the TRA decide about companies in other countries – this British company has nothing to hide.
“There is room in the market for everyone and we welcome competition but if competitors are unwilling or unable to compete then it is clearly unfair to hold us accountable for that.”
Mannol denies the wider dumping allegations. It considers the application to be an abuse of process and is committed to demonstrating that the application is without merit.
No further comment will be made in relation to the TRA investigation until it is complete.
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