Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10803 - ELKEM / HYDRO ENERGI INVEST / ALTOR FUND MANAGER / VIANODE) Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance) 2022/C 302/02
Date: 2022-08-08
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, energy production, investment company, merger control, metallurgical industry, metals








C_2022302EN.01000201.xml










8.8.2022   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 302/2






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.10803 - ELKEM / HYDRO ENERGI INVEST / ALTOR FUND MANAGER / VIANODE)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2022/C 302/02)

1.   
On 29 July 2022, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1).
This notification concerns the following undertakings:






—


Elkem ASA (‘Elkem’, Norway), controlled by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China (China),










—


Hydro Energi Invest AS (‘Hydro’, Norway), belonging to the Hydro Group (Norway),










—


Altor Fund Manager AB (‘Altor’, Sweden),










—


Vianode AS (‘Vianode’, Norway), controlled by Elkem.




Elkem, Hydro and Altor will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of Vianode.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


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






—


Elkem is active in the production, sale, marketing and research and development of silicon, ferrosilicon, carbon, microsilica and ferrosilicon-based specialty alloys for the iron foundry and steel industries, worldwide;










—


Hydro is a fully integrated aluminium company, and has activities throughout the aluminium value chain from bauxite, alumina and energy generation to the production of primary aluminium, aluminium extruded products and aluminium recycling, worldwide;










—


Altor is the fund manager of a group of private equity funds, including Altor Fund IV which is the Altor fund having made the investment in Iyuno. Altor Fund IV is a private equity fund which focuses on investments in the mid-market segment of the Nordic region.






3.   

Vianode is active in the development of anode materials for the production of battery materials.



4.   
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.
Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.


5.   
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. The following reference should always be specified:
M.10803 - ELKEM / HYDRO ENERGI INVEST / ALTOR FUND MANAGER / VIANODE
Observations can be sent to the Commission by email, by fax, or by post. Please use the contact details below:
Email: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu
Fax +32 22964301
Postal address:





European Commission




Directorate-General for Competition




Merger Registry




1049 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË







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

(2)  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.