FinishMaster Beats Antitrust Lawsuit Over Auto Paint Pricing

Auto paint distributor FinishMaster Inc. has finally beaten an antitrust lawsuit by a rival that got multiple chances to fix up its claims of a scheme to monopolize the San Francisco Bay Area market, with a ruling by the Northern District of California.

Nicolosi Distributing Inc. accused FinishMaster of using secret steep discounts from a paint maker to gain a leg up on its competitors by passing the savings along to autobody shops. FinishMaster gobbled up smaller rivals, tied its paint sales to purchases of other auto supplies, and required its customers to sign exclusive dealing contracts, the suit said. ...