Competition: Commission fines 17 bathroom equipment manufacturers EUR 622 million in price fixing cartel
- Finland
- 07/08/2010
- Roschier, Attorneys Ltd. - Finland
The Commission imposed a total fine of EUR 622 million on 17 bathroom equipment manufacturers for engaging in a price fixing cartel in violation of Article 101 TFEU. The companies involved in the cartel between 1992 and 2004 were Artweger, Cisal, Dornbracht, Duravit, Duscholux, Grohe, Hansa, Ideal Standard, Kludi, Mamoli, Masco, Roca, RAF, Sanitec, Teorema, Villeroy & Boch and Zucchetti.
The cartel covered ceramics such as sinks, baths, taps and fittings in Germany, Austria, Italy, Belgium, France and the Netherlands. Through a series of meetings and other contacts the cartel participants agreed on the level and timing of price increases, minimum prices, and rebates, and exchanged sensitive business information. Masco, a US company, was granted full immunity under the Commission’s Leniency Program, as it was the first company to provide information on the cartel to the Commission. Further, Grohe, of Germany, and Ideal Standard, of the US, received a 30% fine reduction because of their cooperation in the investigation.
Additionally, the Commission reduced the fines of three companies by 50% and of another two by 25% given their difficult financial situation. Source: Commission Press Release 23/6/2010
