Provet applies for clearance to acquire National Veterinary Supplies
Published05 Apr 2005
The Commerce Commission has received an application from Provet NZ Pty Ltd (Provet) to acquire the business and assets of National Veterinarian Supplies Ltd (NVS).
Provet is an Australian-owned company that wholesales prescription animal remedies, over the counter animal health products, pet nutrition products, veterinary practice disposable items, and animal related merchandise. Provet supplies these products solely to registered veterinary practices, predominantly in the north of the North Island.
NVS wholesales similar products to veterinarians and also manufactures six animal health products, including Pentobarb, a drug used for euthanasing animals. NVS sells its manufactured products to other wholesalers as well as directly to veterinarians nationwide.
The acquisition would result in aggregation in the wholesale supply of animal remedies, animal health products, pet nutrition products, veterinary practice disposable items, and animal related merchandise, and would also result in a degree of vertical integration for Provet.
In considering this application, the Commission's role is to determine whether the proposed acquisition has the effect of substantially lessening competition in a New Zealand market.
