Press Release: Mergers: Commission clears Orica/Dyno Nobel merger subject to conditions

The European Commission on 23 May 2006 approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed acquisition by Australia-based Orica Ltd. ('Orica') of most of the businesses of Norwegian company Dyno Nobel ASA ('Dyno') outside North America and Australia. Both companies are active in the explosives and detonators industry. The Commission, which had been requested by the national competition authorities of Sweden, Germany and Norway to look at this transaction, gave its go ahead subject to Orica’s commitment to divest its explosives business in Norway and Sweden, where the merging parties were by far the largest suppliers. In light of this commitment, the Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or a significant part of it.