PENNSYLVANIA COMPANY SETTLES EXPORT VIOLATIONS

The U.S. Department of Commerce today announced that Sermatech International Inc. of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, agreed to pay civil penalties in the amount of $17,500 to settle charges that it violated the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).

The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) charged that, on five occasions from July 9, 2002 through February 2, 2004, Sermatech exported technical data regarding coating, brazing, and repair welding on components of gas turbines to its South Korean joint venture, Sermatech Ltd., with an expired Department of Commerce export license.

Sermatech voluntarily self-disclosed the violations and cooperated fully in the investigation. BIS considers voluntary self-disclosures to be a significant mitigating factor when negotiating settlements of administrative cases.

Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Darryl W. Jackson commended BIS's New York Field Office for its work on this investigation.