In the first phase of its investigations the Bundeskartellamt has cleared the planned acquisition of four home improvement stores belonging to the Bonn-based Knauber Freizeit GmbH & Co. KG by Bauhaus Gesellschaft für Bau- und Hausbedarf mbH & Co. KG Rheinland in Cologne.

Bauhaus intends to either take over the existing leases or conclude new ones with the lessors of four sites (Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Bonn-Endenich, Bergisch Gladbach-Bensberg and Pulheim). Bauhaus will also take over all the employees Knauber currently employs at six locations. The Knauber stores in Troisdorf and Bad Godesberg are to be closed. The notified merger project does not comprise the energy business of Carl Knauber Holding GmbH & Co. KG.

Bauhaus already operates its own home improvement stores in the four affected regional markets around the Knauber sites, so it will be able to expand its positions on the three markets in Bonn-Endenich, Bergisch Gladbach-Bensberg and Pulheim. The merger will have little effect in the Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler region.

Andreas Mundt, President of the Bundeskartellamt: “The proposed merger will not lead to critical market positions because of the large number of home improvement stores in the Cologne/Bonn area. Consumers can choose from a wide variety of home improvement and specialised stores operated by different chains within a twenty kilometre radius around the former Knauber stores so that a sufficient level of competition can be expected to remain after the merger."