Italian antitrust body fines eight companies €140 million for rebar cartel

On August 1, the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) published a decision sanctioning eight major Italian companies that produce and sell rebar and steel mesh with fines amounting in total to €140 million, for setting up a cartel in the concrete reinforcing bar and mesh sector in Italy.

Accordingly, Alfa Acciai S.p.A., Feralpi Siderurgica S.p.A., Ferriera Valsabbia S.p.A., Industrie Riunite Odolesi I.R.O. S.p.A., O.R.I. Martin Acciaieria e Ferriera di Brescia S.p.A., Stefana S.p.A., Riva Acciaio S.p.A., and Ferriere Nord S.p.A. and its parent company Fin.Fer. S.p.A. are accused of coordinating sales prices in the period from 2010 to 2016. The investigation began in October 2015.

The companies have been fined as follows:

In 2009, the European Commission had fined Alfa Acciai, Ferriere Nord, Feralpi, IRO, Leali, Lucchini, Riva and Ferriera Valsabbia a total of €83.25 million for an infringement lasting from December 1989 to May 2000. They were accused of having "fixed various elements of the price of rebar" and of having "limited or controlled outputs and sales".