If You Purchased Ready-Mix Concrete Directly From Lafarge, Argos, Coastal, Thomas, Evans Or Elite In The Greater Savannah Area From January 1, 2010, Through July 31, 2016, A Class Action Settlement May Affect Your Rights

CHARLESTON, S.C., June 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CohenMalad, LLP, Heins Mills & Olson, PLC, and Preti, Flaherty, Beliveau & Pachios LLP announce a $5.4 million settlement has been reached with Lafarge North America, Inc. ("Lafarge") in an antitrust class action lawsuit against Lafarge, Argos USA LLC, Argos Ready Mix LLC, Coastal Concrete Southeast II, LLC, Thomas Concrete, Inc., Thomas Concrete of South Carolina, Inc., Evans Concrete, LLC and Elite Concrete, LLC (the Defendants).

This lawsuit brings claims on behalf of customers that bought ready-mix concrete directly from Defendants and were damaged as a result of a conspiracy to fix, raise, and stabilize the price of ready-mix concrete sold in the greater Savannah area.  The Plaintiffs claim that, from January 1, 2010, through July 31, 2016, these Defendants participated in an unlawful conspiracy to raise, fix, maintain, or stabilize the price of Ready-Mix Concrete sold from certain Subject Plants.  Plaintiffs claim that this price fixing conspiracy violated federal antitrust laws. The conspiracy alleged involved the largest Ready-Mix Concrete producers in the greater Savannah Market, which includes Savannah, Georgia, and the surrounding areas, including Statesboro, Georgia, and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Plaintiffs filed their civil complaint in November 2017.  In 2019, the United States, through the Department of Justice, announced a parallel criminal investigation, prosecuting a number of companies and individuals for the same conduct, in the same market and for the same time period as alleged here.  In the criminal antitrust case, Greg Melton of Argos and David Melton of Elite were found guilty after a jury trial and have been sentenced to prison terms of 48 and 26 months, respectively.  Argos has admitted to its participation in the conspiracy in a Deferred Prosecution Agreement covering the entire class period. Former Argos employee James Pedrick also pled guilty to antitrust violation for the class period; Evans and its President, Bo Strickland plead guilty to conspiracy charges for 2011 through 2013.

The lawsuit, entitled Pro Slab, Inc., et al. v. Argos USA LLC, et al., Case No. 2:17-cv-03185-BHH is pending in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina.  The case continues against Defendants other than Lafarge. Jury selection is scheduled for October 16, 2025.

The settlement affects the rights of direct purchasers of ready-mix concrete from Lafarge, Argos, Coastal, Thomas, Evans and Elite. If you purchased ready-mix concrete directly from any of the Defendants' "Subject Plants" at any time from and including January 1, 2010, through and including July 31, 2016, you would be a Settlement Class Member, unless you opt out of the settlement.   A list of the Subject Plants can be found at www.SavannahConcreteCase.com.  

In a class action suit, the Court determines if the Settlement should be approved. If the Settlement is approved and becomes final, information about the proposed distribution of the settlement funds will be provided to known Settlement Class Members with contact information on file, along with a Claim Form and instructions for completing a claim. The court has set a final approval hearing for September 16, 2025.

If you did not receive a Notice by U.S. Mail, but believe you are a Settlement Class Member, you should complete a contact form on www.SavannahConcreteCase.com in order to directly receive future communications about the Settlement and a Claim Form, and to receive communications about any future settlements or other significant developments in the Lawsuit. 

The Court will hold a final approval hearing on September 16, 2025. Additional information about what will happen at the final approval hearing and how you may participate in the hearing is available at www.SavannahConcreteCase.com, or you may contact the Settlement Administrator at 1-888-999-5317 or [email protected].

SOURCE CohenMalad, LLP, Heins Mills & Olson, PLC, and Preti, Flaherty, Beliveau & Pachios LLP