FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                    AT
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1994                                   (202) 616-2771
                                                         TDD (202) 514-1888

              TWO RESIDENTIAL DOOR MANUFACTURERS CHARGED FOR
                  INVOLVEMENT IN PRICE FIXING CONSPIRACY


     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Two residential door manufacturers, one
from Illinois and the other from Kentucky, were charged today
with participating in a conspiracy to fix the prices of
residential flush doors, according to the Department of Justice's
Antitrust Division.  
     Including today's charges, four cases have been filed as a
result of the Antitrust Division's investigation into collusive
practices in the $600 million residential flush door industry. To
date, more than $6 million in fines have been imposed.
     Illinois Flush Door Inc. of Plainfield, Illinois, and LEDCO,
Inc. of Shelbyville, Kentucky, were charged with participating in
a price fixing conspiracy for sales of residential flush doors to
certain customers in the United States from January to December,
1993.
      Residential flush doors are made of flat wood that can be
covered with various types of door facings and are used primarily
in residential basements, bedrooms and bathrooms.  They are sold
to U.S. door distributors and wholesalers, home improvement
centers and residential construction companies.  
     Anne K. Bingaman, Assistant Attorney General in charge of
the Antitrust Division, said that the charges, filed in the U.S.
District Court in Tampa, Florida, arose in connection with a
grand jury investigation in Tampa into collusive practices by
flush door manufacturers.  
      The continuing investigation is being conducted by the
Division's Litigation I Section with the assistance of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation.
     The maximum penalty for a corporation convicted of a
violation of the Sherman Act is the greatest of a $10 million
fine, twice the gross pecuniary gain the corporation derived from
the crime or twice the gross pecuniary loss caused to the victims
of the crime.
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94-663