Another Price-Fixing Suit Filed

The latest in a string of class-action price-fixing suits popping up around the nation in the glass industry has been filed-this one by Perilstein Glass Corp. in Passaic, N.J., versus Asahi Glass Co. Ltd. and its subsidiaries, Guardian Industries Corp., Pilkington North America Inc. and PPG Industries Inc. The initial complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.

The 27-page complaint alleges that the defendants "have engaged in price-fixing in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act." The complaint qualifies the class as "all entities who purchased Construction Flat Glass Products in the United States directly from the Defendants, or one of their controlled subsidiaries, from at least January 18, 2004 and continuing to the present."

It alleges that during the class period, "Defendants agreed, combined and conspired to raise, fix, and/or stabilize the prices of Construction Flat Glass sold in the United States."

The complaint goes on to claim that the defendants implemented the alleged price-fixing by allegedly agreeing to raise prices to customers in a coordinated fashion and by allegedly implementing identical energy surcharge programs.

The plaintiff seeks compensatory damages, that the defendants be prevented from continuing with the "combination, conspiracy or agreement alleged in this case" and the cost of the suit.

The defendants were unavailable for comment at press time.

CLICK HERE for full text of complaint.

CLICK HERE for related story, "Burhans Glass Files Suit Against Glass Manufacturers, Alleges Anti-Trust Violations and Price-Fixing."

CLICK HERE for related story, "Diversified Glass Alleges Glass Manufacturers Colluded to Impose Energy Surcharges and Diesel Surcharges."

CLICK HERE for related story, "Suit Filed Against Four Major Manufacturers for Price-Fixing in Federal Court."

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