SAN FRANCISCO — A horde of technology companies fired back this week at class actions that accuse them of fixing prices for the lithium ion batteries that power many popular consumer electronics.
Multinational companies such as LG Chem Inc., Panasonic Corp., Maxell Corp. of America, Sony Corp. and Samsung Electronics Co. — as well as their subsidiaries — were accused earlier this year of conspiring to raise prices and stamp out competition in the market for three key types of lithium ion battery cells. In a spate of dismissal motions filed Monday evening, lawyers for the 18 manufacturers ensnared in In re Lithium Ion Batteries Antitrust Litigation, 13-2420, argued that the plaintiffs have done little to show a vast plot amongst them.
