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UK: Cement industry needs a competitive boost, says Commission

By  |  May 21, 2013

The UK”s Competition Commission is looking to “break open” the cement industry throughout Great Britain after the regulator concluded in a study that the current state of the market facilitates cooperation between cement producers. The regulator announced Tuesday that it will now look into potential solutions to those findings, which declared both the market’s conduct and structure hamper competition, especially as the industry’s three top cement producers are likely coordinating in behavior that results in higher prices for consumers. The industry is currently dominated by Lafarge Tarmac, Cemex and Hanson, though the Commission notes that it did not find criminal collusion to be going on between the rivals. According to a press release, the Commission is considering a divesture of some production capacity by at least one of the top three businesses or establishing cement buying groups.

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