Infotech Consulting’s Analyses Instrumental in Steel Class Case with $193.9 Million in Settlements

Infotech Consulting’s Analyses Instrumental in Steel Class Case with $193.9 Million in Settlements

The Infotech Consulting team, led by Dr. Jim McClave, provided econometric damages analysis to a large, national class of steel purchasers, alleging violations of the U.S. antitrust laws by several of the world’s largest steel manufacturers. Based on millions of sales transactions from thousands of customers, Infotech Consulting conducted damage analyses in support of the class. After years of litigation, the U.S. District Court granted class certification in September 2015 to over 5,500 direct purchasers of steel products. Settlements have been reached with all Defendants, totaling $193.9 million.

In re: Steel Antitrust Litigation, No. 08-cv-0514 (US District Court for the N.D. of Illinois)

Final Disposition in Air Cargo price fixing case – $1.25 billion in total settlements

Plaintiffs brought suit in 2006 after the US Department of Justice and the European Commission initiated investigations into the air cargo industry. The alleged conspirators took part in meetings and other communications to determine and set air cargo rates that airlines should charge for various routes. The airlines then imposed the agreed upon rates and continued to maintain and enforce those rates for over six years.

This suit included over 30 airline companies. Infotech Consulting and Dr. McClave was hired in April 2010 to calculate damages to Plaintiffs due to the illegal price-fixing scheme. Infotech Consulting analyzed more than 30 million transactions in the formalization of Dr. McClave damage analysis report and testimony for the class certification hearing in October, 2013. In July 2015, class certification was granted for a class of tens of thousands of direct purchasers of air cargo shipping services. By the beginning of 2016 all but two Defendants had settled with the Plaintiffs. In the spring of 2016, the remaining two Defendants settled, bringing the total settlement value to over $1.25 billion.

In re: Air Cargo Shipping Services Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 1775 (E.D. of New York)

Infotech Consulting’s Analyses Instrumental in Steel Class Case with $193.9 Million in Settlements

Over 1 Billion Transactions Analyzed in CRT Price-Fixing Case

Not many of us still own a cathode ray tube (CRT) television, but many of us remember the big and bulky sources of entertainment from yesteryear. Makers of cathode ray tubes were accused of fixing the price of various sizes of cathode ray tubes during a time where these televisions and monitors were feeling the market pressure from flat panel televisions and monitors. Infotech Consulting was engaged to perform damage analyses for 13 plaintiffs that opted out of the class action. The data spanned 18 years and involved analyzing defendant transaction data consisting of over 1 billion transactions with over $80 billion in revenue. Through the eight-year litigation period, settlements on behalf of class members and opt outs totaled over $800 million. Infotech Consulting’s thorough analysis of the data and expert synthesis of the material aided numerous plaintiffs in reaching advantageous settlements with over 10 defendants.

In re: Cathode Ray Tube Antitrust Litigation, Case No. 07-5944 SC and Case. No. 14-cv-02510  (US District Court for N.D. of California)

Infotech Consulting’s Analyses Instrumental in Steel Class Case with $193.9 Million in Settlements

Infotech Consulting Helps Turn Off the Facet in $4 Million Iron Pipe Fittings Antitrust Case

Infotech Consulting had the opportunity to work with indirect purchaser plaintiffs in an industry that most people never even think about when turning on their faucets.  Ductile iron pipe fittings (DIPF) are used to join ductile iron pipe, valves and hydrants within a water system as well as change or direct the flow of water. DIPF are an integral part of municipal and regional water and sewer systems. The end-user plaintiffs, including municipal water works departments, accused Defendants McWane, Inc, Sigma Corporation and Star Pipe Products of violating antitrust laws by restricting trade, charging supracompetitive prices for ductile iron pipe fittings, and unlawful monopolization between 2008 and 2014.  These companies controlled over 90% of the DIPF market during this period. Infotech Consulting analyzed over 4.7 million DIPF distributor transactions to calculate the pass through rate to indirect purchasers that then was used to estimate the damages incurred by the end-users as a result of the conspiratorial behavior.  Dr. Jim McClave’s damage model helped the plaintiff’s secure settlements totalling over $4 million.  

In Re Ductile Iron Pipe Fittings (“DIPF”) Indirect Purchaser Antitrust Litigation, Civ. No. 12-169 (US District Court for New Jersey)