Haas is aware that on August 4, 2023 PBS ran a story suggesting Haas-labeled parts continue to be sold to Russia, even after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.  Haas wants to emphatically state that any suggestion that Haas is somehow involved in, or complicit with, any ongoing sales to Russia or the Russian defense industry are absolutely, and demonstrably, false.

As Haas has previously stated, and emphasized to PBS, Haas voluntarily terminated Abamet Management, its sole Russian distributor, on March 3, 2022.  Since that date, Haas has not conducted any sales or shipments of machines or parts to Abamet, or anyone else in Russia.  Any sales of Haas machines to Russia that occurred prior to the termination, moreover, were done in strict compliance with all export control and sanctions regulations that were applicable at the time such sales occurred. 

Haas, nevertheless, takes seriously all allegations of continuing sales of genuine Haas machines or parts into Russia, including those set forth in the PBS story.  The import data PBS cites in its story, however, even if accurate, only shows that certain parts identified as being manufactured by Haas were shipped to Russia by third parties unaffiliated with Haas.  Importantly, the data does not reveal how those third parties acquired the referenced Haas parts that were purportedly shipped to Russia. 

For example, PBS makes much of the fact that certain import data shows shipments to Russia of purportedly Haas-labeled parts by a Chinese company named “Suzhou Sup Bestech Machine Tools Co. Ltd.”  Haas has reviewed its records and has not identified any company by that name, or any similar name, that is, or ever has been, a customer of Haas Automation, Inc.  Thus, if that company is selling genuine Haas parts, it does not appear to have acquired those parts from Haas.  It is also quite possible that parts that are identified as being genuine Haas parts are, in fact, counterfeits obtained from third parties.

As previously explained, Haas has been manufacturing machines for more than 30 years, and there are more than 200,000 Haas machines currently in use throughout the world.  If any shipments of Haas manufactured machines or components are , as suggested in the PBS story, ongoing, they are being made, unbeknownst to Haas, by third parties unaffiliated with Haas and in direct contravention of express Haas policy toward Russia following the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. 

While Haas’ F1 team did, as stated in the PBS story, historically have a Russian sponsor, that relationship was immediately and voluntarily terminated by Haas upon Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, at a cost to Haas of millions of dollars in unpaid sponsorship fees.

The PBS story, of course, also fails to mention that Haas has publicly deplored Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and has expended considerable resources to not only cease all Haas business with Russia, but also to support Ukraine.  For example, Haas has, in compliance with U.S. export controls and sanctions laws, worked closely with its distributor for Ukraine to expedite delivery of 107 Haas-manufactured machines – valued at more than $9.8 million – to 96 customers in Ukraine, providing critical machinery to the country’s defense against Russia.  Haas also has provided humanitarian support to Ukraine, including shipping more than 300 pounds of medical supplies to Ukraine in March 2022, and nearly 400 pounds of Christmas gifts to the families of our Ukrainian distributor in December 2022.

Any suggestion that Haas, either in word or in deed, is supportive of Russia or its invasion of Ukraine is completely and demonstrably false. 

For further information:
Peter Zierhut, [email protected]