Brussels, 02/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has authorised the acquisition by Linde AG and Komatsu Ltd. of joint control over Komatsu Forklift Co. Ltd, currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Komatsu Ltd., active in the manufacture and sale of material-handling equipment. German-based Linde AG is the parent company of a multinational technology group active in industrial gas products and in the design and building of industrial plants in different sectors, in refrigeration technology and in the material-handling sector, manufacturing and selling forklift trucks and material-handling equipment. Komatsu Ltd is the parent company of a multinational group based in Japan, mainly active in the production of construction and mining equipment, the manufacture of electronic products and other industrial products as forging and stamping presses, and in the material-handling sector, including forklift trucks and warehouse equipment. The deal will give Linde joint control over KFL, now solely controlled by Komatsu. Given the minimal overlap in market share, the Commission found that the operation will have no anti-competitive impact in the sector concerned.