6 June 2017

Commission clears the acquisition of MPS by WestRock

The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the acquisition of sole control by WestRock Company (USA) over Multi Packaging Solutions International Limited ("MPS", Bermuda). MPS is active in the manufacture and sale of specialty packaging solutions, such as premium folding cartons, mainly for pharmaceutical goods, consumer goods and media purposes, and rigid packaging for perfumes and spirits. WestRock is a multinational provider of paper and packaging solutions for consumer and corrugated packaging markets. It provides a variety of packaging solutions such as folding cartons or, paperboard to customers in the several different sectors. The Commission in particular investigated the market for folding cartons for beverages in the UK and the markets for folding cartons for pharmaceutical products in the UK and Ireland. With regard to folding cartons for beverages, the Commission considered that the activities of the companies were focused on different market segments. In relation to folding cartons for pharmaceutical products, the transaction did not significantly change the market structure in the UK. In Ireland, the Commission found that a number of competitors remained in the market and the barriers to enter the market for these products were rather low. The transaction was examined under the normal Phase I merger review procedure. More information is available on the Commission's competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.8421.
(For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 229 80100; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)