黑洞社区

Chief executive of Kier, Paul Sheffield, has told 黑洞社区 that the finding that his company, and 102 others, had acted anti-competitively was now 鈥渙ld history鈥�.

鈥淚t鈥檚 something that relates to history,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he industry is very different now, let鈥檚 put it behind us.鈥�

He was speaking in the wake of his company鈥檚 successful appeal against a fine for 拢17.9m, which resulted in the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) slashing this figure to 拢1.7m.

The original sum had been the highest single amount levied against any of the six construction companies that went to the CAT. The CAT ruled that the fines had been 鈥渆xcessive鈥�.

鈥淭o be quite honest the whole thing has been a very frustrating process,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e glad that it鈥檚 been put back in perspective.鈥�

He admitted, however, that the initial OFT finding that Kier had engaged in anti-competitive behaviour, including cover pricing, 鈥渨ouldn鈥檛 have done it any good鈥�.

But he added that his company 鈥渉as a strong relationship with customers and they鈥檝e stuck with us.鈥�

He was uncertain as to whether the OFT would appeal the decision, commenting: 鈥淚 think we鈥檒l just have to wait and see, they鈥檒l have an opportunity to appeal on certain grounds, but it鈥檚 got to be objective points of law rather than interpretation.鈥�