UOP Limited / UKae Limited / Thermoseal Supplies Ltd / Double Quick Supplyline Ltd / Double Glazing Supplies Ltd

No. CA98/08/2004

This decision was appealed to the Competition Appeal Tribunal on 10 January 2005. On 19 May 2005 the appeal proceedings were brought to an end by the Tribunal following consent by the OFT to a reduction in the penalty for the appellant. For further details see Competition Appeal Tribunal website.

Agreement between UOP Limited, UKae Limited, Thermoseal Supplies Ltd, Double Quick Supplyline Ltd and Double Glazing Supplies Ltd to fix and/or maintain prices for desiccant

9 November 2004

The Office of Fair Trading has concluded that UOP Limited, UKae Limited, Thermoseal Supplies Limited, Double Quick Supplyline Limited and Double Glazing Supplies Group plc (the Parties) have been parties to an agreement and/or concerted practice that infringes the prohibition imposed by section 2 (the Chapter I prohibition) of the Competition Act 1998.

The Parties were involved during the period from 1 March 2000  until at least 12 March 2003 in an overall agreement and/or concerted practice designed to fix and/or maintain minimum resale prices for desiccant manufactured by UOP, which infringes the Chapter I prohibition. This overall agreement and/or concerted practice constitutes a single infringement which comprises a number of sub-agreements and/or concerted practices. 

The OFT considers that agreements and/or concerted practices between undertakings that fix prices are among the most serious infringements of the Act. Financial penalties are therefore being imposed on all of the Parties, subject to the operation of the OFT's policy to give lenient treatment to undertakings coming forward with information on price fixing cases. UKae, Thermoseal and UOP have all been granted leniency under this arrangement and have had their penalties reduced as a result.

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