Competition Bureau
Japanese Company Pleads Guilty to Price FixingOTTAWA, September 19, 2007 -- The Competition Bureau announced today that Ibiden Co. Ltd. of Japan has pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a conspiracy to fix the price of isostatic graphite, a fine grain carbon product. “Ibiden’s significant and early cooperation in connection with this inquiry assisted the Commissioner’s investigation of other individuals and corporations for violations of the Competition Act,” said Denyse MacKenzie, Senior Deputy Commissioner of Competition. “In the circumstances, we recommended lenient treatment, despite the serious nature of the offence.” The Federal Court of Canada has fined the company $50,000. During the conspiracy, approximately $300,000 (US) of Ibiden’s isostatic graphite block were sold in Canada. Ibiden is the third company to plead guilty in relation to anti-competitive conduct concerning the supply and sale in Canada of semi-machined and block isostatic graphite. In 2003, Toyo Tanso USA Inc. pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to maintain prices and was fined $200,000. In 2001, Carbone of America Industries Corp. pleaded guilty to fixing prices and was fined $300,000. Ibiden’s conviction wraps up the Bureau’s investigation into the isostatic graphite conspiracy. Isostatic graphite is commonly used in electrical discharge machinery to make dies for the continuous casting of metals and in the manufacture of semi-conductor chips and other mechanical applications. The Competition Bureau is an independent law enforcement agency that promotes and maintains fair competition so that all Canadians can benefit from competitive prices, product choice and quality service. It oversees the application of the Competition Act, the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act, the Textile Labelling Act and the Precious Metals Marking Act. Ibiden Co. Ltd. - Indictment Ibiden Co. Ltd. - Statement of Admissions For media enquiries, please contact: For general enquiries, please contact: 
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Created: 2007-09-19 Updated: 2007-11-01 |
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