Nippon Pleads Guilty
In the latest conviction related to the international conspiracy to fix the price of graphite electrodes used in steel production, Nippon Carbon Company, Ltd. pleaded guilty on December 8, 2005 to aiding and abetting the conspiracy, contrary to section 46 of the Competition Act and section 21(1) of the Criminal Code. Nippon had agreed, during the 5-year term of the illegal market sharing agreement, not to sell into Canada. Nippon will pay a fine of C$100,000. It is the 7th party to be convicted in Canada in connection with the graphite electrode conspiracy, and fines in the case now top C$25 million.
