Rhone seeks clearance to acquire swimming pool equipment company Fluidra
Published05 Feb 2018
The Commerce Commission has received a clearance application from Rhone Capital LLC (Rhone) to acquire up to 100% of the shares or assets of Fluidra S.A.
Rhone is a New York-based private equity firm that owns a number of entities, including the Zodiac group of companies, who supply a range of swimming pool equipment globally. In New Zealand, Zodiac imports and distributes a range of equipment used in residential pools, including pumps, filters, cleaners, heating, and automation systems. It also manufactures a range of residential pool covers in Auckland.
Fluidra S.A. is a global manufacturer of residential and commercial swimming pool equipment, based in Spain. Fluidra does not have a manufacturing presence in New Zealand but supplies a range of pool equipment, primarily under the brand name AustralPool, through a New Zealand-based distributor, Aqua Clear Products Limited.
A public version of the clearance application is available on our Clearances Register.
Background
When considering a proposed merger, the Commission must determine whether any competition that would be lost with the merger would be substantial. We will give clearance to a proposed merger only if we are satisfied that the merger is unlikely to have the effect of substantially lessening competition in a market.
A fact sheet explaining how the Commission assesses a merger application is available on our clearances page.