Commission clears sale of Rhodia businesses

The European Commission has approved the acquisition by US investment fund Bain Capital of the European chemical intermediate businesses of French chemicals group Rhodia.

According to the Commission the operation does not create any competition concerns since Bain Capital, a partnership investment fund whose ultimate general partner is Bain Capital Investors, is not active in any of the acquired businesses.

Rhodia​, French parent company of an international group active in numerous fields, including food ingredients, is to divest itself of businesses involved in the production of soda ash, sodium bicarbonate, phenol, acetone and hydrochloric acid trading.

The Commission claims that Bain Capital does not hold any interest in any companies active in the same product markets and, therefore, the transaction does not give rise to any horizontal overlaps or vertical integration concerns.