San Diego, CA 7/28/14—Independent service organization (ISO) Zef Scientific has filed suit against Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (SSI) in US District Court for the Southern District of California, alleging monopolization, restraint of trade, tortious interference with contractual relations, tortious interference with prospective business advantage, and unfair competition. In the complaint, Zef states that SSI changed its practices and policies in 2010 in regards to repair parts in order to monopolize the business for servicing its instruments, affecting it and other ISOs. The policies cited include charging Zef more for parts than non-ISOs and requiring that Zef provide the serial number of the instrument to be serviced, thereby giving Shimadzu customer information and delaying inventory stocking. The complaint also states that Shimadzu forbid Thermo Fisher Scientific from selling Shimadzu consumables to Zef and other ISOs. Zef is seeking an end to these practices and damages. Shimadzu has not yet filed an answer to the complaint.