THE parent company of Castle Cement in Clitheroe is involved in an investigation by the European Commission into price fixing.
German firm Heidelberg Cement is facing a fine of 250m euros if the German Federal Cartel Office finds it was involved in illegally fixing cement prices and anti-competitive agreements.
And the European Commission is now considering widening its inquiry to include cement companies in other countries, including the UK.
The threat of fines follows raids on 30 cement companies in Germany, including Heidelberg, by more than 200 police officers from the cartel office.
Castle Cement is not directly involved.
The raids were part of a long-running attempt by the German authorities to stamp out price-fixing and market sharing in the German cement industry.
A spokesman for Heidelberg Cement said the company was co-operating fully with the German authorities in the investigation.
"Officials from the German Federal Cartel Office searched the offices of Heidelberg Cement and our Liemen cement plant in July, as part of a nationwide investigation into 30 cement companies." he said.
"We are ready to co-operate."
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