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Westlake Agrees to $67 Million Settlement in US PVC Pipe Antitrust Case

By  |  April 15, 2026

PVC pipe manufacturer Westlake Corporation and one of its subsidiaries have agreed to pay $67 million to resolve allegations of price-fixing, marking the largest settlement to date in a sweeping U.S. antitrust case involving the PVC pipe industry.

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    According to Reuters, attorneys representing builders and other buyers disclosed the proposed agreement Monday in federal court in Illinois. The settlement, which still requires judicial approval, stems from a lawsuit filed in 2024 accusing Westlake and several other major manufacturers of coordinating prices for PVC pipes sold to direct purchasers and other customers across the United States beginning in early 2020.

    Westlake, which is based in Houston, denied any wrongdoing and did not immediately respond to a request for comment, per Reuters. The company also stated it would cooperate with plaintiffs as they continue pursuing claims against other defendants in the case, including Atkore Inc. and Otter Tail Corporation. Those companies have likewise denied the allegations.

    Court filings cited by plaintiffs indicate that more than $3 billion worth of PVC municipal water pipes were sold in the United States in 2022. PVC pipes are widely used not only in water infrastructure but also in plumbing systems and electrical conduit applications, making the case significant for multiple sectors.

    According to Reuters, the lawsuit alleges that manufacturers relied on pricing data published by Oil Price Information Service to exchange competitively sensitive information, including pricing and customer details. The service, owned by Dow Jones & Company, previously agreed to cooperate with plaintiffs and paid $3 million last year to resolve related claims.

    Plaintiffs’ lawyers said Westlake’s proposed settlement would provide “significant” compensation to thousands of purchasers affected by the alleged conduct. In addition to the financial payment, Westlake has agreed to produce documents it previously shared with the U.S. Justice Department during a separate federal antitrust investigation into the PVC pipe and fittings market.

    The Justice Department has confirmed that a federal grand jury in California is investigating similar allegations, according to Reuters, signaling ongoing scrutiny of the industry.

    The case is formally titled In re PVC Pipe Antitrust Litigation and is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois under case number 1:24-cv-07639.

    Source: Reuters