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U.S. Department of Justice Seal and Letterhead
 

March 29, 1993


SUMMARY OF ANTITRUST ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS
FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
FOR MONDAY, MAR. 22, 1993 THROUGH FRIDAY, MAR. 26, 1993


3/22/93 U.S. v. The Gillette Company and Parker Pen Holdings. Ltd.
Civil No.: 93-0573 (D.D.C.)

A civil complaint was filed in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia, challenging the acquisition by The Gillette Company, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, of Parker Pen Holdings Ltd., a British corporation, headquartered in Newhaven, England. Simultaneously, the Department filed a Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction. The complaint alleged that the acquisition would violate Section 7 of the Clayton Act by substantially lessening competition in the manufacture, promotion and sale of premium fountain pens in the United States. Premium fountain pens are high quality refillable fountain pens that have an established premium image among consumers. Sales of these products at retail were approximately $46 million. Gillette accounted for approximately 21% of the market, and Parker for approximately 20% of the market. In 1991, Gillette's revenues from sales of writing instruments were about $160.2 million in the United States and $424 million worldwide. Gillette manufactures and sells writing instruments, including a wide variety of pens and mechanical pencils, under the Papermate and Waterman brands. Waterman brand writing instruments, which include premium fountain pens, are manufactured by Gillette in Nantes, France. Suggested retail prices of Waterman fountain pens range from about $55 to $9,000. Wholesale sales of Waterman writing instruments in the United States in 1991 were $14.4 million. Parker's writing instruments are marketed in the United States through Parker Pen USA Limited, whose principal offices are located at Janesville, Wisconsin. In 1991, Parker's revenues from sales of writing instruments were about $54.5 million in the United States and were about $308 million worldwide. Parker manufactures and markets a full range of refillable writing instruments including product lines composed of a fountain pen and its companion rollerball pen, ballpoint, and mechanical pencil. Suggested retail prices of Parker's fountain pens range from around eight dollars to $10,000. On March 19, 1993, the Department had announced its intent to challenge the proposed acquisition unless the parties abandoned the acquisition.

3/25/93 U.S. v. Thomas Franklin White
Criminal No.: 93-84 (M.D. Ala.)

One-count information was filed in U.S. District Court in Montgomery, Alabama, charging Thomas Franklin White, former branch manager of the Opelika, Alabama branch of Meadow Gold Dairies, Inc., with rigging bids, in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, for the award and performance of contracts to supply milk to county school systems and other educational institutions in East Central Alabama and West Central Georgia.

Copies of legal filings are available from the Legal Procedure Unit, Antitrust Division, Room 3233, Telephone No.: 514-2481.

93-086