By Bryan Koenig

Law360 (July 9, 2018, 6:18 PM EDT) — Chemical manufacturing giants BASF, Bayer, DowDuPont and others conspired to shut down plants and curb production in order to lower global supply and increase prices for polyurethane building blocks, according to a proposed antitrust class action filed in New Jersey federal court Friday.

Polyurethane product manufacturer Pennsylvania-based C.U.E. Inc. contends the conspiracy stretched from 2015 to at least this February. The companies, which also include Dow Chemical Co., Covestro AG, Huntsman Corp., Lanxess AG, Mitsui Chemicals Inc., and Wanhua Chemical Group Co. Ltd., as well as corporate affiliates,…