Smurfit Stone Container Corporation, the American packaging group in which Jefferson Smurfit has a 33 per cent stake, has settled a class action suit against one of its subsidiaries for $20 million (€17.26 million).

The class action suit was against a subsidiary which manufactured sidings for mobile homes, with the claimants alleging that the sidings prematurely failed. Smurfit Stone has settled the claim without admitting liability.