Price-fixing probe names majors

A HIGH level investigation into whether freight forwarders fixed prices for fuel and other surcharges has named several major industry players. According to Purchasing.com, European freight forwarders Kuehne + Nagel and Panalpina were raided last week by the European Commission, while Deutsche Bahn said the offices of its Schenker unit were searched in South Africa, Switzerland and the US. Expeditors International of Washington is being investigated by the Justice Department as part of the probe. The South African Competition Commission confirmed to FTW that it had conducted a raid on October 10 on several freight forwarding companies suspected to have been engaged in practices which might contravene the Competition Act. The raids were conducted in conjunction with its counterparts from the European Commission and the US Department of Justice, the first time the Commission has coordinated operations with these authorities. The evidence collected during the raids will be used by the Commission to determine whether or not the implicated companies have in fact engaged in cartel activity as suspected. “If we are satisfied a contravention has taken place we will refer the matter to the Competition Tribunal,” said SA spokesman Thulani Kunene.