WALLBOARD: Europe Fines Big Producers

摘要

Europe's dominant gypsum wall-board makers are preparing to fight some of the most severe penalties ever imposed by the European Commission for allegedly operating a cartel. After a four-year probe, EC handed out fines totalling $480 million to four companies, claiming they rigged the market covering 80% of European Union buyers between 1992 and 1998. Paris-based Societe Lafarge S.A. was fined $250 million; BPB plc, Slough, England, $140 million; Germany's Gebrueder Knauf Westdeutsche Gipswerke K.G., Inhofen, $85 million; and Gyproc Benelux SA/NV, Wijnegen, Belgium, $4 million.