<<back THE CANADIAN CONNECTION Canada Pipe Company Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of McWane Inc. a privately held company based in Birmingham, Alabama. It has about 5000 employees and operates 12 plants in the United States and Canada. McWane is one of the world's largest manufacturers of cast iron sewer and water pipe. Canada Pipe Company was created in 1989 and is based in Hamilton. From 1989 to 1998, it was the only ductile iron pipe manufacturer in Canada. It closed down in 1998 to become a distributor for McWane. McWane has now four manufacturing plants in Canada: three in Quebec, one in New-Brunswick. Bibby Ste-Croix, in Ste-Croix de Lotbinière, Quebec, is a division of Canada Pipe. Bibby’s three foundries in Quebec, Bibby Ste-Croix Foundry, Laperle Foundry in St-Ours and Grand-Mère Foundry in Grand-Mère hire over 500 employees. Clow Canada is another division of Canada Pipe Company. It's offices are based in Hamilton. It sells valves and hydrants and has one small plant in St-John, New-Brunswick which employs about 45 hourly workers. Clow Canada used to have a plant in Medicine Hat, Alberta. But it is now closed. 1989: Canada Pipe Company is formed in 1989 when McWane Inc. acquires the ductile iron assets of Canron Inc, of Hamilton, the only ductile iron pipe plant in Canada. Canada Pipe Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of McWane Inc. 1989: Not long after Canada Pipe Company is created, McWane gets in touch with competitor U.S Pipe and Foundry. Between late 1989 and 1993, top executives from McWane and U.S Pipe meet on several occasions. McWane wants U.S Pipe to stop selling ductile iron pipe in Canada. McWane threatens to start a price war in Northeastern United States market if US Pipe does not agree to exit the Canadian market. U.S Pipe agrees to end their contract with Louisbourg Construction of Montreal, their exclusive distributor of ductile iron pipe in Canada. (read more details about the secret meetings) 1990: Clow Canada, a division of Canada Pipe, is formed upon Canada Pipe’s acquisition of the shares of Concord-Daigle Inc. Concord-Daigle was a Quebec fire hydrant manufacturer. 1990: Clow Canada also purchases the McAvity division of Crane Canada Ltd. T. McAvity and Sons Ltd. was sold to Crane Canada Ltd. in 1960. It was a New Brunswick company that had made its first fire hydrants in 1903 and sold it to municipalities all across Canada. Still today, McAvity hydrants can be found in many Canadian towns. 1993:
November 10 - U.S Pipe and Foundry contacts the (U.S) Bureau of Competition
Policy and the US federal department of Justice to tell them about their
agreement with McWane (Canada Pipe) to lessen competition in Canada. Louisbourg
had never agreed to end its 5-year contract. Soon, it will become a joint
investigation with the Canadian Competition Bureau. 1995:
Canada Pipe Ltd is fined $2.5 million for one conspiracy charge under
section 45 (1) (c) of the Competition Act ., Canada Pipe is fined, even
though conspiracy is unsuccessful. Canada Pipe had tried to “prevent
or unduly lessen” competition in trying to force US Pipe and Foundry
to stop its shipping to Louisbourg Construction. At the time, it was the
highest fine ever paid in Canadian history. (read
more details about the investigation) * Bibby Ste-Croix
Foundries Inc. Ste-Croix, Quebec; 1997: After Bibby Ste-Croix ‘s acquisition by McWane, Bibby Ste-Croix drops its complaint to Competition Bureau against Clow Canada. 1997: Cremco Supply Ltd and Cremco Couplings (B.C) sue Canada Pipe Company. Cremco, a company specializing in pipe couplings, alleges that it owns a patent for a soil pipe coupling device and that Canada Pipe produces and sells a similar device without its permission. 1998: Canada Pipe Company acquires Cremco Supply Ltd and Cremco Couplings. 1998: Canada Pipe closes down its Hamilton plant and becomes the exclusive distributor of ductile iron pipe made in McWane’s U.S plants. No more ductile iron pipes are manufactured in Canada. 2000: Canada Pipe buys Domestic Foundry Ltd, Windsor, Ontario. Now closed. 2000: Vandem Industries Inc, a new Canadian manufacturer of cast iron pipes files a complaint with the Canadian Competition Bureau against Bibby Ste-Croix. Vandem argues that Bibby has engaged in anti-competitive practices that could lead to a monopoly. It is the third complaint about one of McWane’s companies in Canada. 2002: November 1 - The Competition Bureau announced that it has filed an application with the Competition Tribunal for an order prohibiting Canada Pipe Company Ltd. from engaging in anti-competitive acts through its Bibby Ste-Croix Division. (see the application) 2002: December 24 - Canada Pipe puts forth a notice of motion to the Competition Tribunal to stay the application of the Competition Bureau until the Competition Bureau discloses all documents and information relevant to the application.
the
fifth estate: A Toxic Company
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