The Commerce Commission has granted clearance for AsureQuality Limited and Proficiency Services Limited to form a new joint venture company which will acquire all of the New Zealand proficiency testing business assets of AsureQuality Limited and Proficiency Services Limited.

The Commission considered the impact of the acquisition on the market for the provision of proficiency testing services to the food and general laboratory testing industry in New Zealand.  

Commerce Commission Chair Dr Mark Berry said the Commission is satisfied that the proposed acquisition will not have, or would not be likely to have, the effect of substantially lessening competition in that market as the combined entity is likely to be constrained by a combination of potential entry into the market and the countervailing power of large customers that could self-supply or sponsor new entry.

A public version of the written reasons for the decision will be available as soon as practicable on the Commission's website at www.comcom.govt.nz/clearances-register  

Background

AsureQuality is a state owned enterprise that provides proficiency testing services, food safety and biosecurity services to the food and primary production sectors.    

Proficiency Services also provides proficiency testing services, as well as laboratory reference  materials and related services.

Proficiency testing is a process for checking the accuracy of testing laboratories' analysis. This is done by comparing the results of the analysis of identical standard samples achieved by a number of laboratories in a particular testing programme.