United States v. Winslow
United States Supreme Court
227 U.S. 202 (1913)
Three shoe-machinery companies (defendants), each dominant in manufacturing a different type of machine used in shoemaking, lasting, welt-sewing, and outsole-stitching machines, and never in direct competition with one another, merged in 1899 to form the United Shoe Machinery Company (USMC). After the merger, USMC operated out of one factory but continued making the same separate types of machines as before. The United States (plaintiff) sued, alleging the merger unreasonably restrained trade under the Sherman Act; the district court held the charges were not actionable, and the government sought Supreme Court review.
Whether a merger between non-competing companies violates antitrust law if the merger does not reduce competition in the identified market.