Labaton Sucharow LLP serves as Co-Lead Class Counsel in this lawsuit filed on behalf of a class of Plaintiffs who purchased marine hose directly from Defendants, certain manufacturers of these products.

Plaintiffs allege that, between January 1, 1985 and March 24, 2008, Defendants participated in a global conspiracy to illegally fix the prices of and allocate the market for marine hose in violation of the federal antitrust laws. The action is pending before the Honorable Donald L. Graham in the Southern District of Florida.

To date, five groups of corporate Defendants and eight individual Defendants have agreed to settle the claims for an amount totaling almost $22 million. Settling Defendants include: Bridgestone Corporation and Bridgestone Industrial Products America, Dunlop Oil and Marine Ltd, Parker ITR, S.r.l. and Parker-Hannifin Corporation, The Yokohama Rubber Company, Ltd. and Trelleborg Industrie S.A. Several Defendants have also pled guilty to their role in the conspiracy and one Defendant was accepted into the Department of Justice’s Amnesty Program.

On January 14, 2010, the Court granted final approval of the settlements and certified a class as to the remaining non-settling Defendants.

For additional information about the settlement please visit www.abdataclassaction.com/cases.aspx