Colombia: Superintendence probes possible chlorine cartel

Colombia’s Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC) has informed that charges will be filed against four important companies in the Colombian chemical industry “for their alleged active participation in the execution of two anti-competitive agreements related to the chlorine market and the markets for import, distribution and commercialization of caustic soda”.

The illicit operation would have involved Brinsa S.A. and Quimpac of Colombia S.A., the only chlorine producing companies in the country. According to the SIC, these companies would have agreed to divide up their direct customers. The investigation was initiated following the denunciation of Brinsa SA under the SIC’s leniency laws.

“To achieve this purpose, the companies previously agreed on which of them would be in charge of serving a specific client,” the SIC revealed. Likewise, they would have agreed to abstain from competing for the distributors of products, with the commitment not to offer their products to distributors that had a relationship with the other company.

The SIC explained that Brinsa has participated as an informer. Its senior managers have voluntarily provided evidence, documents, emails, presentations and data, among many other pieces of evidence “that have been fundamental for the processing of this administrative action”.