Fines over £1.38M have been imposed on double glazing industry firms EWS (Mfg) Ltd;Thermoseal Group Ltd;Double Quick Supplyline Ltd & Ulmke Metals Ltd, following an investigation into price fixing & market sharing in the aluminium spacer bar market. The OFT concluded that these companies participated in a cartel, in which they agreed to fix prices & share the market for aluminium double glazing spacer bars, in breach of the Chapter I prohibition of the Competition Act 1998. The infringement occurred during the last part of 2002 & was brought to an early end as a result of the OFT's intervention. In line with the OFT's leniency policy Ulmke Metals Ltd has been granted 100% leniency in recognition of its cooperation with the OFT's investigation. In addition, Thermoseal Group Ltd has been granted a 40% reduction of its penalty, also under the leniency policy. XXXXXXXXXXXXX The total fines imposed are therefore reduced to around £900,000 by leniency. The OFT's finding follows an earlier decision in Nov/04, that prices had been fixed in the market for another double glazing raw material, desiccant, & brings the total fines for cartels in the double glazing industry to around £3.7M, reduced to around £2.5M by leniency. The OFT's investigations into cartel activity in the double glazing industry form part of its wider enforcement activities in relation to the construction industry, one of the five priority areas identified in the OFT's Annual Plan. The OFT has previously issued five decisions relating to bid rigging in the roofing sector, with fines totalling just over £4.3 million (reduced to around £2.5 million by leniency) and has uncovered further evidence of bid rigging in the construction industry which is the subject of an ongoing investigation.
