In a pivotal moment for a sprawling antitrust litigation, counsel for two classes of PVC pipe purchasers urged an Illinois federal judge Tuesday to approve preliminary settlements totaling $6 million with a price analytics firm allegedly entangled in a conspiracy to inflate pipe prices.
Oil Price Information Service LLC (OPIS)—a market reporting service accused of facilitating collusion among PVC pipe manufacturers—has agreed to pay $3 million each to direct purchasers and non-converter seller purchasers of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe. OPIS also pledged substantial cooperation, a move expected to turbocharge the plaintiffs’ broader legal assault on the remaining defendants.
“Ice-Breaker” Deal May Crack Case Open
During a hearing before U.S. District Judge LaShonda Hunt in Chicago, plaintiffs’ attorneys described the proposed settlement as a case accelerator—an “ice-breaker” poised to inject momentum into the complex litigation and support forthcoming amended complaints expanding the scope of the alleged price-fixing conspiracy.
“This agreement is a linchpin,” attorneys told the court, highlighting how OPIS’s cooperation—including depositions, trial testimony, and document production—will significantly enhance their ability to prosecute claims against other pipe manufacturers accused of conspiring to keep prices artificially high, even after pandemic-induced supply issues had eased.
