Goodyear files antitrust lawsuit, claims price fixing

May 10, 2004

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has filed an antitrust lawsuit against suppliers of a synthetic rubber used in tires, belts and hoses.

Goodyear is accusing 12 ethylene propylene diene monomer producers of fixing prices and engaging in "anti-competitive conduct in violation of the federal Sherman Act antitrust laws."

The lawsuit was filed May 7 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio in Akron, Ohio.

"Goodyear, in the best interests of our shareholders, is seeking to recover the overcharges paid as a result of the anti-competitive conduct of these companies," says C. Thomas Harvie, Goodyear senior vice president, general counsel and secretary.

Damage amounts will be determined during court proceedings, according to Goodyear officials.

Companies being sued include: Bayer AG (Leverkusen, Germany); Bayer Polymers LLC (Pittsburgh, Pa.); Bayer Corp. (Pittsburgh); Cromptom Corp. (Middlebury, Conn.); Uniroyal Chemical Co. Inc. (Middlebury, Conn.); Dow Chemical Co. (Midland, Mich.); E.I. duPont de Nemours & Co. (Wilmington, Del.); DuPont Dow Elastomers LLC (Wilmington, Del.); DSM Elastomers B.V. (Sitterb, the Netherlands); DSM CoPolymer Inc. (Baton Rouge, La.); Polimeri Europa SpA (Milan, Italy); and Polimeri Europa Americas Inc. (Houston, Texas).

Goodyear officials say the Akron, Ohio-based tiremaker reserves the right to add other defendants to the suit "based upon discovery and proceedings in the case."