Brussels, 29/03/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 28 March, the European Commission approved the proposed acquisition of joint control of Mölnlycke Healthcare Care UK Ltd (“Mölnlycke”) of Sweden, a provider of surgical and wound care products, by Investor AB, a Swedish industrial holding company, and Morgan Stanley Principal Investments Inc. belonging to the Morgan Stanley group of the US.
Investor is a private investment company active in different industrial sectors, including the provision of specialist and senior healthcare services in Sweden and Norway, via its portfolio company Aleris AB. Morgan Stanley is active in global financial services including investment banking, sales, trading, financing and private equity. Investor and Morgan Stanley propose to acquire joint control of Mölnlycke, a provider of surgical products, bandages and wound care products to the professional healthcare sector.
The proposed transaction gives rise to a number of vertical links between Mölnlycke and Aleris AB. As a provider of specialist and senior healthcare services, Aleris purchases limited amounts of surgical and wound care products from Mölnlycke for its subsidiaries in Sweden and Norway. However, the Commission has concluded that the proposed transaction would not lead to competition concerns as there would be no real risks of markets being closed off to competitors. (cd)