The lawsuit alleges that Norbord and six other companies that produce Oriented Strand Board (OSB) worked together and agreed to fix prices and reduce the supply of OSB from June 1, 2002, through to the present, thereby violating U.S. antitrust laws. OSB is used in construction as a substitute for plywood.
Sawbell Lumber Co., Norwood Sash & Door Manufacturing Co., Columbare Inc., West Lumber Co., and Frontier Lumber Co. Inc. have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Also included as defendants with Norbord Inc. is Weyerhaeuser, based in Federal Way; Potlatch Corp. of Spokane; Louisiana-Pacific Corp.; Georgia-Pacific Corp; and producers Ainsworth Lumber Co. and J.M. Huber Corp. The lawsuit seeks class action status.
Norbord is an international producer of wood-based panels with assets of $1.3 billion. It employs about 2,700 people at 16 locations in the United States, Europe and Canada.
