Roofing materials

The CMA has investigated suspected anti-competitive arrangements in the UK roofing materials sector under the Competition Act 1998.

From:
Competition and Markets Authority
Published
13 July 2017
Last updated
11 March 2021 — See all updates
Case type:
CA98 and civil cartels
Case state:
Closed
Market sector:
Building and construction
Outcome:
CA98 - infringement Chapter I
Opened:
11 July 2017
Closed:
10 March 2021

Case reference: 50477

Case timetable

Date Action
10 March 2021 Director disqualification undertakings announced
4 March 2021 Publication of non-confidential version of the infringement decision
4 November 2020 Infringement decision issued
4 November 2020 No grounds for action decision in respect of part of one alleged infringement
June to October 2020 Receipt and consideration of representations on the supplementary statement of objections, decision on case outcome (further update by the end of October 2020)
12 June 2020 Supplementary statement of objections issued; partial settlement announced
March 2020 Investigation continuing (further update by the end of June 2020)
November 2019 Investigation continuing (further update by the end of February 2020)
June to October 2019 Extension of time to provide written and oral representations on the statement of objections
March to May 2019 Written and oral representations on the statement of objections
27 March 2019 Statement of objections issued
December 2018 Investigation continuing (further update by the end of April 2019)
August 2018 Decision taken to continue the investigation (further update by the end of December 2018)
May 2018 Investigation continuing and assessing evidence (further update by the end of July 2018)
December 2017 Decision taken to proceed with the investigation (further update by the end of April 2018)
July to December 2017 Initial investigation: inspections, information gathering, including issuance of formal or informal information requests and parties’ responses

Procedural Officer decision

11 March 2021: The CMA has published a Procedural Officer decision concerning the investigation.

Director disqualification undertakings

10 March 2021: The CMA has accepted competition disqualification undertakings from Mr Jocelyn Campbell (BLM), Mr Graham Hudson and Mr Maurice Sherling (ALM).

Mr Hudson and Mr Sherling have given disqualification undertakings not to act as directors of any UK company for 4 years and 3 years respectively as of 30 May 2021. Mr Campbell has given a disqualification undertaking not to act as a director of any UK company for 6.5 years as of 18 March 2021.

Non-confidential infringement decision

4 March 2021: The CMA has published a non-confidential version of the decision in this case.

Infringement decision

4 November 2020: On 4 November, the CMA issued a decision finding that Associated Lead Mills Limited, Royston Sheet Lead Limited (along with their parent company International Metal Industries Limited) and H.J. Enthoven Limited (along with its parent company Eco-Bat Technologies Limited) (together ‘the Parties’) have infringed competition law by entering into 4 anti-competitive arrangements.

The CMA imposed fines totalling over £9 million on the Parties which include settlement discounts to reflect the fact that they admitted their role in the infringement and agreed to cooperate with the CMA.

The CMA infringement decision follows a Supplementary Statement of Objections issued to the Parties on 12 June 2020.

No grounds for action decision

4 November 2020: On 4 November, the CMA has issued a no grounds for action decision and published a case closure summary in respect of part of one alleged infringement. As a result of the no grounds for action decision, the CMA has closed its investigation against Calder Industrial Material Limited (and its parent company Calder Group Holdings Limited).

Supplementary statement of objections and partial settlement

12 June 2020: On 12 June, the CMA issued a supplementary statement of objections revising certain aspects of its provisional findings in the statement of objections. Associated Lead Mills Limited, Royston Sheet Lead Limited (previously Jamestown Metals Limited) (along with their parent company International Metal Industries Limited) and H.J. Enthoven Limited (along with its parent company Eco-Bat Technologies Limited) have admitted to participating in anti-competitive arrangements.

The CMA’s investigation into a third company, Calder Industrial Materials Limited, continues and no assumption should be made that it has broken the law.

Statement of objections

27 March 2019: On 27 March, the CMA issued a statement of objections alleging that 3 suppliers of rolled lead breached competition law by taking part in an anticompetitive agreement to share the market in relation to the supply of rolled lead in the United Kingdom.

The allegations concern Associated Lead Mills Limited, Jamestown Metals Limited, H.J. Enthoven Limited and Calder Industrial Materials Limited. The statement is also addressed to Associated Lead Mills and Jamestown Metals Limited’s parent company International Industrial Materials Limited, H.J. Enthoven Limited’s parent company Eco-Bat Technologies Limited and Calder Industrial Materials Limited’s parent company Calder Group Holdings Limited.

Notes

  • The investigation is under Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998 (CA98) and Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
  • No conclusion should be drawn that there has been an infringement of competition law at this stage.
  • The CMA will consider any representations it receives before any decision is taken as to whether competition law has in fact been infringed.
  • Further detail of the CMA’s procedures in Competition Act 1998 cases is available here: CMA’s procedures in Competition Act 1998 cases.
  • Changes to the timing of original entries in the case timetable will be made where the estimated timing changes.

Case information

On 11 July 2017, the CMA launched an investigation into suspected anti-competitive arrangements in the UK roofing materials sector which may infringe Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998 (CA98) and/or Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

No assumption should be made at this stage that the CA98 has been infringed.

Personal data

The CMA may collect, use and share personal data for its investigations, including investigations under the Competition Act 1998. This includes processing personal data for the purposes of the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.

For more information about how the CMA handles personal information, please see the CMA’s Personal Information Charter.

Contacts

Investigation team leader

James Allen (james.allen@cma.gov.uk)

Assistant project director

Eva Nickel (eva.nickel@cma.gov.uk)

Project director

Emma Lindsay (emma.lindsay@cma.gov.uk)

Senior responsible officer

Howard Cartlidge (howard.cartlidge@cma.gov.uk)

Updates to this page

Published 13 July 2017
Last updated 11 March 2021 + show all updates

  1. Procedural Officer decision published.

  2. Director disqualification undertakings announced.

  3. Non-confidential infringement decision published.

  4. Infringement decision announced and case closure summary published.

  5. Supplementary statement of objections and partial settlement announced.

  6. Case timetable updated.

  7. Case timetable updated.

  8. Case timetable updated: Extension of time to provide written and oral representations on the statement of objections.

  9. Statement of objections issued to the parties.

  10. Case timetable updated.

  11. Update added for May 2018.

  12. Timetable updated.

  13. First published.

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