Mines Part of Antitrust Case

Oct. 7, 2021 – According to sister publication Concrete Products, the Justice Department Antitrust Division calls for General Shale Brick and Meridian Brick LLC to divest three plants, 14 showrooms and distribution yards, plus six mines in a proposed settlement of an antitrust lawsuit challenging the producers’ merger. The agency filed the settlement and suit-triggering complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, contending the action is aimed at keeping competition for residential brick in Southern and Midwestern markets. Johnson City, Tenn.-based General Shale announced a $250 million offer for Meridian Brick, Alpharetta, Ga. in late 2020. The complaint notes that the producers generated more than $750 million combined in 2020 sales, primarily from clay units, and are top residential brick players in eight markets spanning Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee. The General Shale assets in the settlement are a brick production facility, Edwards Mine, and distribution yard, all in Mooresville, Ind.; and, distribution yards in Evansville, Ind., plus Sterling Heights and Whitmore Lake, Mich. The Meridian assets are a brick production facility, Collins and Rich Mines and distribution yard, all Gleason, Tenn.; brick production facility and Vulcan Mine, Bessemer, Ala.; Centreville Mine, Brent, Ala.; lease agreement for Wingo Mine, Hickman, N.Y.; and, distribution yards in Florence and Huntsville, Ala., Clarksville, Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville (Macon Rd. and Centennial Place), Tenn., plus Tupelo, Miss.; and, Pelham Town Center Store, Pelham, Ala.