Brussels, 11/07/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has approved the proposed acquisition of the German heating equipment manufacturer Buderus AG by Robert Bosch GmbH, another German company also supplying heating appliances. The deal will increase Bosch's heating equipment turnover from EUR 910 million a year to EUR 2.1 bn and will rob Vaillant (turnover of EUR 1.4 bn) of its place at top of the European league. In its investigation, the Commission discovered that Bosch's and Buderus' product range are largely complementary: Bosch's strength lies in wall-mounted, gas-fired heaters while Buderus is strong in oil-fired boilers. Although the transaction will increase Bosch's existing product portfolio, in particular concerning floor-standing, oil-fired boilers, and will give it an extensive distribution network and direct access to installers and end users, it does not present serious competition concerns. The Commission's investigation revealed that there would be sufficient competition even after the acquisition.