Commission européenne, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Bruxelles, BELGIQUE  
Europese Commissie, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Brussel,   BELGIË  
 
Tel: +32 229 -91111. Fax: +32 229 -64301. E -mail: COMP -MERGER -REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu . 
  EUROPEAN COMMISSION  
Brussels,  30.10.2020  
C(2020) 7641 final  
PUBLIC VERSION  
To the notifying parties  
Subject : Case M. 9954 – SUMITOMO / AAR / JV  
Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation 
(EC) No 139/20041 and Article 57 of the Agreement on the European 
Economic Area2  
Dear Sir or Madam,  
1. On 6 October 2020 , the European Commission received notification of a proposed 
concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger  Regulation by which Sumitomo 
Corporation (“ Sumitomo”, Japan) and AAR CORP. (“AAR”, USA)  acquire within the 
meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation  joint control of AAR 
Sumisho Aviation Services LLC ( the “JV”, USA ). The concentration is accomplished 
by way of purchase of shares in a newly created company constituting a joint venture .3 
2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:  
— for Sumitomo: a trading and investment company active in various sectors,  
such as the trading of metal products, transportation and construction of 
systems, environment and  infrastructure, media, network and lifestyle related 
products, mineral resources, energy, chemicals and  electronics ; 
— for AAR: a diversified provider of products and services to worldwide 
aviation, government and d efence markets through its two business segments: 
(i) Aviation Services; and (ii) Expeditionary Services ; 
— for the JV : The joint venture will distribute aircraft parts and offer aviation 
logistics management solutions to the Japanese defense market, and d istribute 
parts from Original Equipment Manufacturers based in Japan to the global 
aviation aftermarket . 
                                                 
1 OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 ( the ‘Merger Regulation ’). With effect from 1 December 2009,  the Treaty on 
the Functioning of the European Union ( ‘TFEU ’) has introduced certain changes, such as the 
replacement of ‘Community ’ by ‘Union ’ and ‘common market ’ by ‘internal market ’. The terminology 
of the TFEU will be used throughout this decision.  
2  OJ L 1, 3.1.1994, p.  3 (the ‘EEA Agreement ’). 
3  Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C 342, 14.10.2020 , p. 34. 

2 3. After examination of the notification, the European Commission has concluded that 
the notified operation falls within the scope of the Merger  Regulatio n and of 
paragraph 5(a) of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of 
certain concentrations under  Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 .4 
4. For the reasons set out in the Notice on a simplified procedure, the European 
Commission has decided not to oppose the notified operation and to declare it 
compatible with the internal market and with the EEA Agreement. This decision is 
adopted in application of Article 6(1)(b) of the Merger  Regulation  and Article 57 of 
the EEA Agre ement . 
For the Commission  
 
 
(Signed)  
Olivier GUERSENT  
Director -General  
 
                                                 
4  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5 .