Basel Syndicate (Basel IG)

<p>Ciba, Geigy, and Sandoz collectively constituted the entire chemical industry of Switzerland. In 1918 the three companies joined together to form a cartel, the Interessengemeinschaft Basel (“Basel Syndicate”), or Basel IG, in order to compete with the German chemical cartel IG Farben. All three companies also established or acquired factories in various European countries and in the United States. In 1929–32 the Basel IG joined with IG Farben and French and British chemical firms to form the Quadrapartite Cartel, which lasted until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. Though each participant in the cartel retained its legal autonomy, the companies, by signed agreement, entered into a division of markets and some joint manufacturing. Basel IG survived the war, but it dissolved in 1951 partly out of regard for U.S. antitrust legislation.</p>