According to press reports (May/99) US-based Oneida Ltd, the world's largest maker of stainelss steel & silverplated flatware, said it has filed a lawsuit against rival glassware & tabletop manufacturer Libbey, alleging its distribution programme is anticompetitive. The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court (northern district of New York), came 2 days after Oneida rejected a US$500m unsolicited takeover bid from Libbey. In the past year, Oneida has tried to supply tabletop glassware to the food service industry as part of a straegy to be a "one-stop shopping" source for hospitality & leisure industry customers. Ohio-based Libbey is in the same business. The lawsuit challenges a "loyalty programme" in which distributors can receive certain cash payments from Libbey if they can demonstrate they have not purchased similar glassware from Libbey competitors.
