Bundeskartellamt clears Nordzucker / Union-Zucker merger project
25.06.2002
The Bundeskartellamt has cleared the acquisition of Union-Zucker Südhannover GmbH, Nordstemmen, by Nordzucker AG, Brunswick. The merger project affects the markets for industrial, household and liquid sugar in northern Germany.
The President of the Bundeskartellamt, Dr Böge, stated: “It is not expected that Nordzucker AG’s already dominant position will be strengthened by the acquisition of Union-Zucker. As long as the sugar market continues to be largely regulated and quotas imposed under the European Sugar Market Regulation competition will remain restricted”.
The Bundeskartellamt has cleared the acquisition of Union-Zucker Südhannover GmbH, Nordstemmen, by Nordzucker AG, Brunswick. The merger project affects the markets for industrial, household and liquid sugar in northern Germany.
The President of the Bundeskartellamt, Dr Böge, stated: “It is not expected that Nordzucker AG’s already dominant position will be strengthened by the acquisition of Union-Zucker. As long as the sugar market continues to be largely regulated and quotas imposed under the European Sugar Market Regulation competition will remain restricted”.
Nordzucker and Union-Zucker currently do not stand in competition with one another. On the contrary they have for years been linked in a legal marketing cooperation which will expire in 2015 at the earliest. Neither is Union-Zucker expected to enter into competition with Nordzucker once the cooperation expires. Union-Zucker could only abandon its close association with Nordzucker if it were able to affiliate with another sugar manufacturer. The Bundeskartellamt sees no indications for this.
To the knowledge of the Bundeskartellamt the merger between Nordzucker and Union-Zucker will affect neither existing nor potential competition in the product markets concerned.
Nordzucker and Union-Zucker currently do not stand in competition with one another. On the contrary they have for years been linked in a legal marketing cooperation which will expire in 2015 at the earliest. Neither is Union-Zucker expected to enter into competition with Nordzucker once the cooperation expires. Union-Zucker could only abandon its close association with Nordzucker if it were able to affiliate with another sugar manufacturer. The Bundeskartellamt sees no indications for this.
To the knowledge of the Bundeskartellamt the merger between Nordzucker and Union-Zucker will affect neither existing nor potential competition in the product markets concerned.