Cemex Rejects European Commission's Pricing Cartel Allegation

By Joe Stonor

Mexican building-materials group Cemex said Tuesday that it disagreed with a provisional finding from Europe's antitrust regulator that it colluded to raise chemicals prices.

The European Commission said Monday that it believes Cemex, alongside nine other companies and three trade bodies, likely formed a pricing cartel between 2021 and 2022.

"Cemex does not agree with the preliminary findings [of the commission] and will formally respond in due time as part of the ongoing process," the company said in response to a request for comment.

"The fact that this investigation is being conducted does not mean that the European Commission has finally concluded that Cemex has not complied with the law."

The commission's investigation, which was launched in 2023, relates to chemical additives and chemical admixtures used in construction materials.

Cemex said admixtures it produces in Europe are mainly for its own use, and that the company sells insignificant amounts to third parties.

If the commission finds Cemex guilty, the group could be fined up to 10% of its global annual turnover.

The company said it is too early to call the likely outcome of the European Commission's investigation, or the impact it might have on the company's financial position.

Sika and Saint-Gobain-owned Chryso are among the other companies accused of collusion by the commission.

Saint-Gobain referred to a 2023 statement in which the group said it cooperated with investigators. "We continue to see no reason to believe there will be a financial impact for Saint-Gobain," a spokesperson said Monday.

Sika didn't respond to multiple requests for comment.

Write to Joe Stonor at josephmichael.stonor@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 21, 2026 10:37 ET (14:37 GMT)