* EU probe includes price fixing, market sharing
* Probe also covers possible blocking of imports and exports
* World's top four cement makers investigated
* Lafarge, HeidelbergCement shares down
(Recasts lede, adds shares, background)
By Foo Yun Chee
BRUSSELS, Dec 10 (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators opened
an investigation on Friday into the world's top four cement
manufacturers and four other producers suspected of colluding to
fix prices and block foreign imports.
The European Commission did not identify the firms, but
France's Lafarge <LAFP.PA>, Switzerland's Holcim <HOLN.VX>,
Mexico's Cemex <CMXCPO.MX><CX.N>, Germany's HeidelbergCement AG
<HEIG.DE>, Italy's Buzzi Unicem <BZU.MI> and its Dyckerhoff unit
<DYKG.DE> all said they were subject to the investigation.
The probe followed raids by the European Union executive on
several companies in September last year and in November 2008.
World number three producer Cemex said on Thursday that it and
seven other firms were under investigation. []
"The Commission intends to investigate in particular
possible import/export restrictions, market sharing and price
coordination in the markets for cement and related products,"
the EU executive said in a statement.
World No. 4 HeidelbergCement shares were down 3.8 percent to
44.91 euros by 1354 GMT, underperforming a 0.1 percent weaker
Stoxx 600 European Construction and Materials index <.SXOP>,
with one analyst citing the EU probe as a factor.
Top producer Lafarge was 1.2 percent lower at 46 euros,
world No. 2 Holcim and Buzzi Unicem reversed losses to trade up.
The EU regulator said its probe included firms in Austria,
Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg,
the Netherlands, Spain and Britain and related to cement,
cement-based products and other materials.
Germany's HeidelbergCement AG also denied the allegations.
"HeidelbergCement is working with the EU Commission and has,
on multiple occasions, supplied the Commission with material (to
aid the investigation)," it said in a statement.
"HeidelbergCement expects to be able to prove the
allegations to be unfounded."
Lafarge said it had been contacted by EU investigators, but
said the mere fact of an investigation did not mean there was
any proof of wrongdoing. Holcim confirmed it was being
investigated but would not comment further.
Buzzi Unicem said the regulator requested information for
2000 to 2010. It said it would supply information for Italy,
while Dyckerhoff would provide details on its operations in
Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg and the
Netherlands.
The Commission can fine companies up to 10 percent of global
turnover for breaching EU antitrust rules.
It imposed a total fine of 478 million euros ($633 million)
on Lafarge, Britain's BPB, Germany's Knauf and Belgium's Gyproc
in 2002 for operating a cartel in the market for plasterboard
for builders. []
The Spanish watchdog is also conducting its own
investigation into Cementos Portland <CPLN.MC>, Cemex Espana,
Cetya, Vresa and Hormigones Beriain.
(Editing by Rex Merrifield and Mike Nesbit)
(Additional reporting by Josie Cox in Frankfurt and Gilles
Guillaume in Paris, Nigel Tutt in Milan and Oliver Hirt in
Zurich)
($1=.7551 euros)
