The European Commission has fined nine producers of window mountings for operating a price-fixing cartel. The window mounting market in Europe is estimated to be at least 1 billion euros. The companies met every year at regular trade association meetings in Germany, where they coordinated price increases and costs.
The companies–Roto, Gretsch-Unitas, Siegenia, Winkhaus, Hautau, Fuhr, Strenger (all Germany), Maco (Austria) and AGB (Italy)–were fined a combined total of 85,876,000 euros. Roto was the first company to provide information on the cartel, and as such, received full immunity from the fines. Gretsch-Unitas and Maco cooperated in the investigation, and had their fines duly reduced. Even after the reduction, Gretsch-Unitas incurred the largest fine, at 20,552,000 euros.
Full content: EC Press Release
Related content: How To Catch A Thief — Corporate Leniency And The Irrepressible Challenge Of Cartel Detection; Finding A Better Way (Gordon Schnell & Rick Dumas-Eymard, Constantine Cannon)
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