The company also supplies ready-mix concrete and asphalt including associated construction services.

The other organizational unit is Oldcastle Materials, which supplies aggregates, asphalt, and ready-mix concrete, and provides paving services.

As a result, the new operator will get the first crack at supplying concrete for a $300 million water tunnel in Manhattan that is to be started early next year.

State law prohibits the city from supplying concrete to businesses.

Mr. Valente said his company was supplying concrete for other city construction projects but he declined to identify them.

According to the prosecutors, Mr. Halloran acquired companies that gave him a monopoly on supplying ready-mix concrete in Manhattan.

Now the city is using the plant's operators as middlemen to supply concrete through other companies at premium prices for municipal work.

They supply pre-cast concrete for septic tanks, manholes, wall panels, and other commercial and residential equipment.

Readymix has established subsidiaries in China, supplying concrete for the cities of Tianjin and Qingdao.

Under a contract with the city, West 57th had the exclusive right to supply concrete for all city-financed projects in Manhattan.