NMa Suspects 13 Road Construction Companies of Cartel Agreements

The Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) suspects 13 road construction companies of making cartel agreements in relation to asphalt plants in the provinces of Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe. A report has been drawn up on the companies. NMa has a reasonable suspicion that the ten companies regularly coordinated their behaviour when subscribing to tenders. This took place in the years 1998 and 1999. Three companies were incidentally involved in this method of coordination between the ten companies. By means of these agreements, the companies limited competition between themselves. Such cartel agreements constitute an infringement of the Competition Act. NMa bases its opinion on material encountered during the company visits in relation to the investigation into the construction sector.

The ten companies, which NMa suspects of regularly being involved in these cartel agreements are: Ballast Nedam Infra Noord Oost B.V., Wegenbouwmaatschappij

J. Heijmans B.V., Koop Tjuchem B.V., Koninklijke Wegenbouw Stevin B.V., Oosterhof-Holman Infra B.V., Gruno Wegenbouw B.V., Gerrit Ooms B.V., Reef Wegenbouw B.V., Snitjer B.V. and Vermeer Infrastructuur B.V.

The three companies which NMa suspects of being involved in these cartel agreements incidentally are: Jansma Wegen en Milieu B.V., Fernhout Aannemingsbedrijf B.V. and Verhoeve Groep Oost B.V.

The 13 companies may now respond to the report. After this, NMa will take a final decision on whether an infringement has been committed and, if so, whether NMa will impose a fine. A special team at NMa is conducting an investigation into the formation of cartels in the construction sector. Earlier NMa drew up a report on prohibited agreements in relation to the North-South underground railway line in Amsterdam and a tender issued by the municipality of Scheemda. NMa will announce even more results of investigations into the construction sector this year.