Antitrust Law Daily Wrap Up, ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS NEWS: EC approves acquisition of MRH (GB) Limited by Lone Star Group, (Jan 11, 2016)

By Michael Menzhuber, J.D., LL.M.

The European Commission (EC) has cleared under the European Union (EU) merger regulation the acquisition of MRH (GB) Limited of the United Kingdom by the Lone Star Group of the United States, the EC announced today.

The Lone Star Group is a group of private equity funds that invests in real estate, equity, credit, and other financial assets. MRH (GB) Limited owns and operates retail motor fuel service stations in the UK and the Channel Islands. The EC concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns because the companies’ activities do not overlap.

Saudi Aramco-Lanxess merger. The EC also has cleared under the EU merger regulation the creation of a joint venture between Aramco Overseas Company B.V. of the Netherlands, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabian Oil Company of Saudi Arabia, and Lanxess Deutschland GmbH of Germany. Aramco Overseas Company B.V. is active in the synthetic rubber business. Lanxess Deutschland GmbH is a specialty chemicals company with global activities. The joint venture will include both companies’ activities in the synthetic rubber business. The EC concluded that the proposed transaction would raise no competition concerns because several competitors would remain in the market after the transaction and the transaction would not lead to a change of the market structure.

Companies: Lone Star Group; MRH (GB) Limited; Lanxess Deutschland GmbH; Aramco Overseas Company B.V.; Saudi Arabian Oil Company

News: AcquisitionsMergers Antitrust