IP/06/104
Brussels, 1st February 2006
Mergers: Commission clears Gilde’s acquisition of Heiploeg The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of Heiploeg Beheer B.V. by Gilde Buy-Out Management Holding B.V. The Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.
Gilde is a private equity investor based in the Netherlands and specialised in management buy-out investments. The Dutch company Heiploeg is active in the sourcing, processing, distribution and sale of shrimps.
The Commission found that Gilde controlled no company in the EU active in the same markets as Heiploeg.
The Commission also assessed the vertical effects resulting from the deal as Heiploeg is a leading supplier in the market for North Sea shrimps, while Inversco, a company controlled by Gilde, is a distributor of food products in the Netherlands. However, the investigation showed that Inversco has limited market shares and processes only small amounts of shrimps. Moreover, Inversco’s competitors will be able to buy shrimps from several other wholesalers.
