Brussels, 22/02/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has authorised the German company Bayer to acquire the polyether polyols activities of the American company, Lyondell Chemical Company. It has still to give its decision for the acquisition, also by Bayer, of the propylene oxide and associated co-products business.
Bayer and Bayer Corporation (United States, which is party to the operation) produce chemical products and polymers among other things. Lyondell is essentially active in intermediate chemicals and derivatives. It acquired control of Arco Chemical Company in 1998 in the chemicals sector, including the activities linked to propylene oxide and polyether polyols.
Following this operation, Bayer will become the leading producer of polyether polyols in the European Economic Area, stresses the Commission in a press release. It nonetheless considers that the operation would not entail the creation of a situation of dominance, as "on an EEA wide scale, the operation would leave a sufficient degree of effective competition by other competitors in a market that is characterised by considerable imports and large customers buying the products".