Brussels, 20/09/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the Commission fined 30 companies which produce copper fittings a total of 314.7 million EUR for having taken part in a price-fixing agreement between 1988 and 2004. This sum, the fifth-highest ever for a cartel, concerns 11 groups of companies which set prices, discounts and rebates, agreed on mechanisms to coordinate price increases, allocated customers and exchanged commercially important and confidential information. (A fitting connects tubes used to conduct water, air, gas, etc in plumbing, heating, sanitation and other installations). During its investigation, which it launched in January 2001, the Commission noted that all types of fittings were covered by the arrangement. Many documents, company statements and interviews with witnesses contain elements of evidence covering the entire duration of the cartel, the Commission states in a press release. Aalberts of the Netherlands (100.8 million EUR in fines), Delta of the United Kingdom (28.310 million), Legris of France (46.8) and Advanced Fluid Connections had their fines increased by 60%, because they continued their illegal arrangements after the Commission's initial investigations. Advanced Fluid Connections had its fine increased by an additional 50% for providing the Commission with misleading information (18.088 million). IMI (United Kingdom) will pay a fine of 41.3 million, Frabo (Italy) 1.58, Viegener (Germany) 54.292, Sanha Kaimer (Germany) 7.97, Tomkins/Pegler (United Kingdom) 5.25, Flowflex (United Kingdom) 1.349 and Aquatis France and Simplex Armaturen 2.042. Mueller, of the United States, received full immunity, escaping a fine of 10.45 million EUR.