C_202404405EN.000101.fmx.xml

Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.11504 – ICIG / EVONIK SUPERABSORBER COMPANIES)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(C/2024/4405)

On 1 July 2024, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1).

This notification concerns the following undertakings:

—	ICI Holding SE (‘ICIG’, Germany), controlled by International Chemical Investors Group GmbH (‘ICI Group’, Germany), ultimately controlled by Dr Achim Riemann,

—	Evonik Superabsorber GmbH (‘ESG’, Germany), belonging to the group Evonik Industries AG (‘Evonik’, Germany),

—	Evonik Superabsorber LLC (‘ESL’, United States), belonging to the Evonik group.

ICIG will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation sole control of the whole of ESG and ESL.

The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares and assets.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are the following:

—	ICIG is an industrial group, focusing on mid-sized chemical and pharmaceutical businesses. ICIG's acquired businesses all have origins in global chemical or pharmaceutical corporations,

—	ESG is active in the production of superabsorbents, i.e. chemical non-soluble substances (primarily polyacrylate-based polymers) which absorb liquids and do not release them even under pressure, as well as in the production of acrylic acids, a precursor for superabsorbents,

—	ESL is also active in the development, production and sale of superabsorbents.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. The following reference should always be specified:

M.11504 – ICIG / EVONIK SUPERABSORBER COMPANIES

Observations can be sent to the Commission by email or by post. Please use the contact details below:

Email: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu

Postal address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).