The Commerce Commission has published a statement of preliminary issues relating to an application from Pact Group seeking clearance to acquire the plastic pails business of Viscount Plastics.

 

Both Pact Group and Viscount Plastics supply plastic packaging products in Australia and New Zealand including plastic paint and food pails.

 

The statement of preliminary issues outlines the key competition issues that the Commission currently considers will be important in deciding whether or not to grant clearance. The Commission's statement of preliminary issues and the public version of the application are on the Commission's website at: www.comcom.govt.nz/clearances-register/

 

The Commission invites submissions from parties who consider that they have information relevant to the Commission's consideration of this matter. Submissions can be sent to registrar@comcom.govt.nz with the reference Pact/Viscount in the subject line of your email or to PO Box 2351, Wellington 6140 by 4pm on Friday 21 October 2011.

 

Background

The Pact Group Pty Limited operates a number of plastic packaging businesses in New Zealand including VIP Packaging (NZ) Limited, Alto Packaging Limited and Tecpak Industries Limited.  The Pact Group also holds a shareholding in National Can Industries Limited, which supplies some plastic pails in New Zealand.

Viscount's plastic pails business includes assets from two New Zealand entities, namely Pacific BBA Plastics (NZ) Limited and Viscount Plastics (NZ) Limited.   The parent company of all these entities is LINPAC Mouldings Limited.