Fla. law firm files suit alleging rubber chemical price fixing

PALM BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 13)—The world's three largest rubber chemical manufacturers caused Florida consumers to pay more for their tires because of price collusion, according to the allegations in a class action lawsuit filed in Palm Beach Circuit Court. Attorneys for Milberg Weiss Bershad Hynes & Lerach, a nationwide class action law firm with offices in Boca Raton, Fla., accused Crompton Corp., Flexsys N.V. and Bayer A.G. of creating "an unlawful cartel agreement" that conspired to keep chemical prices up in an atmosphere of shrinking markets and increased production costs. The suit seeks compensatory damages plus interest and attorneys fees. Crompton, Flexsys and Bayer are under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and the European Union for alleged price fixing. A Crompton spokeswoman said her company knew of the lawsuit, but had no comment other than what it said when the government investigation was first revealed.