As MPW went to press in late November 2002, a four year European Commission price fixing investigation into the world's leading plasterboard producers was expected to reach a conclusion. Significant fines have been predicted for Lafarge, BPB, Knauf, and possibly some other, smaller producers. The probe is reported to have found evidence of a cartel of European producers to fix plasterboard prices. According to the Financial Times, those close to the case have indicated that Lafarge alone could receive a fine of over 100 million dollars., which would be one of the largest ever imposed in Europe. The Commission only confirmed that an investigation was underway in April 2001, following press reports on the subject.
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