Brussels issues charges against lift companies (US company included)

[Judi Lynn]

October 11, 2005 05:40 AM ET
Brussels issues charges against lift companies

All Financial Times News
The European Union's top antitrust regulator has issued formal charges against the world's biggest lift manufacturers for allegedly running a price-fixing cartel.

People familiar with the case said the charges, which are contained in a so-called statement of objections, were filed on Monday evening. The companies involved are Otis, which is a unit of US group United Technologies, Schindler of Switzerland, Finland's Kone and ThyssenKrupp of Germany.

The four groups control more then 50 per cent of the European market.
(snip)

The case against the four lift manufacturers first came to light in January 2004, when Commission antitrust officials raided the offices of the groups. A Commission spokeswoman said at the time: "The Commission had good reason to believe that the manufacturers may have shared between themselves the tenders for the sale and installation of elevators and escalators and may have colluded to restrict competition with regard to after-sales services."
(snip/...)

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.asp?Feed=FT&Date=20051011&ID=5179419

[Missy M]

1. I wish the anti-trust officials in the US would take some lessons from..

the EU. Try being a little guy in this country competing against the big guys, specially regarding after-sales services. The big guys always used scare tactics by saying they wouldn't warranty their equipment if you used other parts or services. Very hard to get past that scare.

[McKenzie]

2. yup, we took on Micro$oft

and got them to sell XP in Europe without MediaPlayer.

I heard a funny story that the court reporter was typing the evidence on a laptop running Linux...snigger.

[Missy M]

3. That is great about XP in Europe without MediaPlayer..

we always had to take on the likes of IBM. They weren't content being the biggie at the time, they had to get their tentacles in every other area of the business.