FOR YOUR INFORMATION...........................SEPTEMBER 6, 1991


     Great Lakes Chemical Corporation has asked the Federal Trade
Commission to approve its acquisition of up to a 100 percent
interest in the British firm Octel Associates and its wholly-
owned operating company, The Associated Octel Company Limited
(collectively, Octel).  Great Lakes proposes to acquire Shell
U.K. Limited's interest in Octel and may acquire in other trans-
actions up to 100 percent of Octel.

     The FTC earlier approved Great Lakes' acquisition of a
controlling interest in Octel in 1989.  Prior Commission approval
of its proposed acquisition of any additional interest in Octel
is required under a 1984 consent order settling charges that
Great Lakes' acquisition of bromine-related assets from Velsicol
Chemical Corporation violated antitrust laws by substantially
lessening competition in U.S. markets for elemental bromine and
brominated flame retardants.  Among other things, the order
requires Great Lakes to obtain FTC approval before acquiring any
company that manufactures or sells bromine or brominated flame
retardants.  Octel is a producer of bromine, a chemical that is
liquid at normal temporatures and is used in pharmaceuticals as
well as flame retardants.

     In its petition for approval of the acquisition, Great Lakes
asserts that Octel does not sell bromine in the United States,
nor is it a potential entrant.  Thus, according to the petition,
Octel is neither an actual nor a potential competitor.

     Great Lakes is headquartered in West Lafayette, Indiana, and
had revenues of $1.1 billion in 1990.  Octel Associates and The
Associated Octel Company Limited are both British companies.

     The petition will be subject to public comment for 30 days,
until Oct. 7.  Comments should be addressed to the Office of the
Secretary, Federal Trade Commission, 6th Street and Pennsylvania
Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.

                            - more -
Great Lakes/Octel--09/06/91)

     Copies of Great Lakes' petition are available from the FTC's
Public Reference Branch, Room 130, at the same address; 202-326-
2222; TTY 202-326-2502.

                              # # #

MEDIA CONTACT:      Bonnie Jansen, Office of Public Affairs
                    202-326-2161

STAFF CONTACT:      Daniel P. Ducore, Bureau of Competition
                    202-326-2687

(greatlk3)