# C_2013343EN.01001901.xml

| 23.11.2013 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 343/19 |
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23.11.2013

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 343/19

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.6981 — TPG/Servco/Fender)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

2013/C 343/08

| 1. | On 18 November 2013, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 and following a referral pursuant to Article 4(5) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertakings TPG Slowhand, LP (‘TPG’, USA), an investment vehicle of TPG Growth II LP, which belongs to the TPG Group, and Servco Pacific Inc (‘Servco’, USA) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the undertaking Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (‘Fender’, USA) by way of purchase of shares. |
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1.

On 18 November 2013, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 and following a referral pursuant to Article 4(5) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertakings TPG Slowhand, LP (‘TPG’, USA), an investment vehicle of TPG Growth II LP, which belongs to the TPG Group, and Servco Pacific Inc (‘Servco’, USA) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the undertaking Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (‘Fender’, USA) by way of purchase of shares.

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| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






  — | for TPG Group: private investment firm investing in a broad range of industries including inter alia: consumer, retail, technology, internet, healthcare, energy, clean-tech and renewables, transportation, industrials, and business services, |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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for TPG Group: private investment firm investing in a broad range of industries including inter alia: consumer, retail, technology, internet, healthcare, energy, clean-tech and renewables, transportation, industrials, and business services,

| — | for Servco: automotive retailing, parts and service, home products retailing and commercial insurance brokerage, |
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for Servco: automotive retailing, parts and service, home products retailing and commercial insurance brokerage,

| — | for Fender: fretted instruments, guitar amplifiers, percussion instruments and accessories. |
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for Fender: fretted instruments, guitar amplifiers, percussion instruments and accessories.

| 3. | On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the EC Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the EC Merger Regulation (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice. |
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3.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the EC Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the EC Merger Regulation (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.

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| 4. | The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.
  Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number COMP/M.6981 — TPG/Servco/Fender, to the following address:





  European Commission |
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| Directorate-General for Competition |
| Merger Registry |
| 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel |
| BELGIQUE/BELGIË |

4.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number COMP/M.6981 — TPG/Servco/Fender, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

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(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘EC Merger Regulation’).

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(2)  OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32 (‘Notice on a simplified procedure’).

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