Brussels, 23/08/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 23 August, the European Commission used the simplified merger control procedure to authorise four mergers that comply with EU rules and do not distort competition in the relevant markets.
GENOL. GENOL is an Austrian distributor of liquid and solid fuels. Its product portfolio includes in particular heating oil, motor fuels and related products (such as lubricants) and other fuels (in particular, coal, wood pellets and firewood). GENOL mainly supplies diesel and gasoline on a wholesale basis to warehouses owned by agricultural cooperatives. In addition GENOL has limited activities in the retail trade of fuels. Controlled by Germany's BayWa Aktiengesellschaft and Austria's RWA Genossenschaft, RWA Raiffeisen Ware is a holding company active in the sale of farm products (crops, oil and wood), products for farming (seed, fertiliser and fodder) and consumer goods (DIY and garden-ware). It has been given the go-ahead to buy up GENOL through the purchase of GENOL shares held by Austria's OMV Refining & Marketing GmbH. GE.
Metallum. The Commission cleared the acquisition of Metallum Holding S.A. of Luxembourg by TowerBrook Capital Partners L.P. of the US. Metallum recycles, processes and trades non-ferrous metals and refines copper scrap to produce copper cathodes and by-products of the copper refining process. TowerBrook Capital is a private equity investment firm pursuing investments in large and middle market companies in Europe and North America.
SPIE/HOCHTIEF. Service Solutions. The Commission has cleared acquisition of indirect sole control over HOCHTIEF Service Solutions (“HSS”) of Germany by the French company SPIE S.A (“SPIE”). Both HSS and SPIE provide facilities management services. SPIE also provides electrical and mechanical engineering, heating and air conditioning, communications systems and energy.
Warburg. Pincus/General Atlantic/Santander/Santander Asset Management. The Commissioner has cleared acquisition of joint control by Warburg Pincus and General Atlantic alongside the current owner, Santander, of Santander Asset Management. Warburg Pincus and General Atlantic are US-based private equity companies. Santander, which is headquartered in Spain, provides services in retail banking, asset management, corporate and investment banking, treasury and insurance. Santander Asset Management (Jersey) is active in asset management. (MB and OL/transl.fl)