Price-fixing lawsuit filed against drywall suppliers

In a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) document filed on Dec. 17, USG Corp. and its subsidiary, United States Gypsum Co., disclosed that they have been named, along with seven other wallboard manufacturers, as defendants in a purported class-action complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Sierra Drywall Systems, a family-owned drywall installer based in Goodyear, Ariz., has accused the drywall suppliers of unlawfully conspiring to fix prices for gypsum wallboard sold in the United States through price increases for the years 2012 and 2013 and the elimination of job quotes.

USG denies that it participated in an alleged conspiracy or has engaged in any unlawful conduct related to its pricing decisions, according to the SEC filing. The company said it intends to “vigorously defend its actions in the court proceeding.”

The other defendants named in the lawsuit are: New NGC, LaFarge North America, CertainTeed Corp., Georgia-Pacific, American Gypsum Co., Tin Inc. and PABCO Building Products.