Interior Molded Doors Price-Fixing Conspiracy Claimed in Class Action Lawsuit

A proposed class action lawsuit has been filed against door manufacturing companies for alleged Interior Molded Door price-fixing scheme. The manufacturing companies are accused of conspiring to increase prices and controlling the door industry market, causing losses to consumers.

The defendants conspired with each other to raise, or fix the price of Interior Molded Doors across North America.

Interior Molded Door Price-Fixing Allegedly Rips Off Customers Since 2012

The Interior Molded Door price-fixing class action lawsuit claims that Masonite International Corporation, Masonite Corporation, Jeld-Wen, Inc., Jeld-Wen Holding, Jeld-Wen of Canada, LTD. are co-conspirators in manipulating prices to profit off of consumers’ losses.

The Interior Molded Door price-fixing allegedly began On Oct. 24, 2012, and has continued until the present day. 

Plaintiff Kate O’Leary-Swinkels, a resident of Ontario, bought Interior Molded Doors from at least one of the manufacturers and initiated the class action lawsuit to recover losses for herself and Class Members who purchased doors for their homes.

The molded door companies allegedly conspired with each other to make illicit agreements, adjust prices, share information, and discuss door production levels to design a set of price increases to their benefit.

As a result of the illegal conduct by the molded door co-conspirators, the Kate and Class Members paid fictitiously exaggerated prices, therefore suffering losses.

Conspiracy to Manipulate Interior Molded Door Prices

The named defendants and alleged other co-conspirators who have not been named are accused of fixing prices at their benefit and to the detriment of the Class Members and any customers who bought Interior Molded Doors. It is alleged by the price-fixing class action lawsuit that the conspirators helped themselves to higher profits by creating “significant and uniform price increases.” 

An Interior Molded Door is a kind of wooden door used mostly for residential properties, including for apartment housing, rooms, hallways, and closets.

Since 2012, when the alleged Interior Molded Door price-fixing began, the co-conspirators agreed to increase prices eight times. With all of the door manufacturing companies agreeing to raise prices, they were all able to prevent door prices from decreasing or stabilizing. 

The Interior Molded Door conspiracy class action lawsuit claims the accused companies also agreed to reduce and/or control the supply of doors and accessories. 

If not for the illicit door price-fixing, the class action lawsuit says the prices of Interior Molded Doors would undoubtedly be less, and would not have stabilized or increased.

The door manufacturing companies named in the Interior Molded Doors price-fixing scheme class action lawsuit collectively controlled a majority of the market, so other firms who held a small share of the market did not have the capability to increase the door supply and alter the market share following the co-conspirators’ increased prices. 

Door manufacturing companies are not the only industry caught price-fixing. Several markets have been accused of conspiring to fix prices. In a recent gold price fixing class action lawsuit, the Class is seeking $1 billion in damages over their losses after discovering that financial institutions were working together to manipulate the value of gold and gold-related investments.

Price-Fixing Allegations Breach Competition Act 

Kate and the Class Members are seeking damages for breaches of Part VI of the Competition Act for unlawfully and secretly agreeing to adjust door prices in a collective conspiracy and controlling the market. The Interior Molded Door companies have allegedly breached Part VI section 45(1) and 46(1) of the Competition Act in Canada.

The Class Members suffered losses and damages due to the co-conspirators’ alleged actions.

Damages are sought for:

• Price competition sold directly or indirectly to Kate of the Class Members
• Artificially increased Interior Molded Door prices
• Deprivation of “free and open” competition in Canada’s Interior Molded Door industry

The price-fixing scheme class action lawsuit claims the Class Members are owed damages, but the total amount is yet to be determined.

Have you purchased Interior Molded Doors for your home since 2012 from any of the named companies? Do you have concerns that you may have been a victim of door price-fixing? Share your story in the comments.

Kate and Class Members are represented by Charles M. Wright and Linda Vesser of Siskinds LLP.

The Interior Molded Door Price-Fixing Class Action Lawsuit is Kate O’Leary-Swinkels, et al., v. Masonite International Corporation, et al., Case No. T-1049-20, in The Superior Court of Justice, Ontario, Canada. 

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