PRESS RELEASE

INVESTIGATION ON SIX COMPANIES THAT PRODUCE STAINLESS STEEL RODS FOR REINFORCED CONCRETE AND WELDED WIRE MESH

The Italian Antitrust Authority has opened an investigation on six of the leading Italian companies that manufacture and sell iron rebar for reinforced concrete and welded wire mesh (the so-called “steel rods”). The companies included Alfa Acciai, ORI Martin, Feralpi Siderurgica, Industrie Riunite Odolesi, Ferriera Valsabbia and Stefana.

The case concerns the possibility of a horizontal agreement that had taken place, in violation of Article 101 TFUE, at least by coordinating the two components of the retail price for both products (the base price and the price for extra sizes). This coordination would also take place with the participation of representatives of the six companies at the fortnightly meetings of the Commission for the Prices of Steel Products (Commissione Prezzi Prodotti siderurgici), set up by the Chamber of Commerce of Brescia.

In order to establish these circumstances, yesterday and today officials of the Italian Antitrust Authority carried out a series of inspections in the offices of the companies involved, the trade association Federacciai, the Industrial Association of Brescia (Associazione Industriale Bresciana) and the Chamber of Commerce of Brescia with the help of the special Antitrust Unit and of the Unit for Technology Fraud of the Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza).

Rome, 29 October 2015