CELEX: 32018M8740
Language: en
Date: 2018-01-22 00:00:00
Title: Commission Decision of 22/01/2018 declaring a concentration to be compatible with the common market (Case No COMP/M.8740 - SCHMOLZ + BICKENBACH / ASSETS OF ASCO INDUSTRIES) according to Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (Only the English text is authentic)

EUROPEAN COMMISSION
                                                                Brussels, 22.1.2018
                                                                C(2018) 489 final
                                                                            PUBLIC VERSION
                                                                To the notifying party
Subject:        Case M.8740 - SCHMOLZ + BICKENBACH / ASSETS OF ASCO
                INDUSTRIES
                Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC)
                                1                                                                             2
                No 139/2004 and Article 57 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area
Dear Sir or Madam,
1.      On 19 December 2017, the European Commission received notification of a proposed
        concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger Regulation by which
        Schmolz+Bickenbach AG (Switzerland), ultimately controlled by the Renova Group,
        acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of certain
        parts of Asco Industries SAS (France) (the “Assets of Asco Industries”) by way of
        purchase of assets and purchase of shares.3
2.      The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
          –        for Schmolz+Bickenbach AG: manufacture of special long steel products, in
                   particular tool steel and non-corrosive long steel as well as alloyed and high
                   alloyed engineering steel. Schmolz+Bickenbach is vertically integrated along the
                   entire value chain, from production and processing to sales and services and
                   operates worldwide;
          –        for Renova Group: a private business group consisisting of asset management
                   companies and direct portfolio investment funds in a variety of sectors
                   worldwide;
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 444, 23.12.2017, p. 13.
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.
 ---pagebreak---      –       for the Assets of Asco Industries: manufacture of special long steel products for
             the automotive, mechanical engineering, bearings and energy sectors in Europe.
3. After examination of the notification, the European Commission has concluded that the
   notified operation falls within the scope of the Merger Regulation and of paragraph 5(c) 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 Agreement.
                                                    For the Commission
                                                    (signed)
                                                    Johannes LAITENBERGER
                                                    Director-General
4  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.
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