The Icelandic Competition Authority requests comments and views on the proposed merger of Marel Iceland hf. and Valka ehf.

The Competition Authority has received a notification of a merger due to the purchase by Marel Iceland ehf., a subsidiary of Marel hf., of shares in Valka ehf. With the acquisition of Valka ehf., Marel Iceland ehf. share in Valka ehf. will be 91,6%. Here you can find the merger register of the companies in Icelandic where confidential information has been removed.

Marel manufactures and sells equipment for fish processing, meat processing and processing of poultry meat. Valka, on the other hand, only has equipment for fish processing. In the opinion of the companies, the activities of the merging parties overlap only in terms of development, production, and sale of equipment for fish, more specifically both for machines belonging to primary processing and for equipment belonging to complete processing.

Per article 17 c of the competition act nr. 44/2005, the Competition Authority’s investigation focuses on whether the merger of the companies hinders effective competition by creating or strengthening dominant positions, or whether it causes competition to be distorted in other respects in a significant way so that the merger requires potential in the shares.

The Competition Authority hereby requests comments and views from all stakeholders and others who may wish to comment on the merger, such as its possible positive or negative effects on competition in those markets to produce and sell fish processing equipment.

It is requested that comments be received by e-mail to samkeppni@samkeppni.is within two weeks or no later than July 26.