# C_2015137EN.01003001.xml

| 25.4.2015 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 137/30 |
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25.4.2015

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 137/30

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.7529 — Mohawk Industries/International Flooring Systems)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2015/C 137/07)

| 1. | On 17 April 2015, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Mohawk Industries, Inc. (‘Mohawk’, USA) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking International Flooring Systems SA (‘IFS’, Luxembourg) by way of purchase of shares. The same concentration was already notified to the Commission on 2 March 2015, but the notification was subsequently withdrawn on 24 March 2015. |
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1.

On 17 April 2015, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Mohawk Industries, Inc. (‘Mohawk’, USA) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking International Flooring Systems SA (‘IFS’, Luxembourg) by way of purchase of shares. The same concentration was already notified to the Commission on 2 March 2015, but the notification was subsequently withdrawn on 24 March 2015.

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| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
  —   for Mohawk Industries: Mohawk is a US-headquartered global producer and supplier of wood-based panels, insulation materials and a broad range of flooring products, including carpets, rugs, hardwood, laminate, ceramic tiles, stones and vinyl flooring. It also licenses IP rights on technologies used in the manufacturing of flooring products. Within the EEA, Mohawk is mainly active through its wholly-owned subsidiary Unilin,
  —   for IFS: IFS is a Luxembourg-based group of companies active in the production and supply of vinyl flooring, laminate flooring and wood-based panels, in particular raw and coated MDF. It also licenses IP rights on technologies used in the manufacturing of flooring products. |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—   for Mohawk Industries: Mohawk is a US-headquartered global producer and supplier of wood-based panels, insulation materials and a broad range of flooring products, including carpets, rugs, hardwood, laminate, ceramic tiles, stones and vinyl flooring. It also licenses IP rights on technologies used in the manufacturing of flooring products. Within the EEA, Mohawk is mainly active through its wholly-owned subsidiary Unilin,

for Mohawk Industries

—   for IFS: IFS is a Luxembourg-based group of companies active in the production and supply of vinyl flooring, laminate flooring and wood-based panels, in particular raw and coated MDF. It also licenses IP rights on technologies used in the manufacturing of flooring products.

for IFS

| 3. | On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. |
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3.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.

| 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 e-mail to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number M.7529 — Mohawk Industries/International Flooring Systems, 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 e-mail to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number M.7529 — Mohawk Industries/International Flooring Systems, 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 ‘Merger Regulation’).

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