Dallas-based law firm Burns Charest has filed a proposed federal class action against a group of Canadian manufacturers, alleging the companies have conspired to artificially inflate the price of cedar shakes and shingles sold to contractors, construction companies and roofing contractors in the U.S., according to www.burnscharest.com.
Filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, the litigation includes detailed evidence of improper pricing discussions among the defendants and detailed economic analysis showing the price of the materials has increased significantly since early 2011.
The lawsuit alleges the price increases are a result of the companies' anticompetitive pricing conspiracy rather than ordinary market forces. The lawsuit also claims the companies conspired with the Washington-based Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau to force upstart and discount competitors out of the market so they could charge artificially high prices for their products.
The case is Fraser Construction Company et al v. Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau et al. View the class action complaint.
