IP/00/1231 Brussels, 27 October 2000 Commission clears Alcoa purchase of British Aluminium

IP/00/1231

Brussels, 27 October 2000

Commission clears Alcoa purchase of British Aluminium

The European Commission has cleared the acquisition by U.S. aluminium company Alcoa Inc. of rival British Aluminium Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Luxfer Holdings Plc. The deal does not pose any competition problems in Europe given the limited market shares of the merged entity. Customers and consumers will also continue to benefit from a wide choice of suppliers.

The transaction has an impact on the European market for what concerns the transformation of aluminium into semi-finished and finished aluminium (flat rolled products, extrusions, foil) and some local aluminium distribution activities in the UK and in Ireland. However the acquisition did not raise any competitive concerns owing to the relatively small market positions that the merged entity would acquire in these markets and to the existence of alternative competitors.

Alcoa is the largest aluminium producer worldwide, with interests in all aspects of the aluminium industry (bauxite mining, alumina refining, aluminium smelting, manufacturing and recycling as well as research and technology). It has operations in North America, Brazil, Australia, Japan, China and in the European Union.

British Aluminium is a U.K.-based company which owns five businesses active in the production and distribution of finished and semi-finished aluminium products. These are: British Aluminium Plate, which makes aluminium plate at a rolling mill located at Kitts Green, in the U.K.; British Aluminium Sheet (manufactures aluminium sheet at a rolling mill located at Dolgarrog, the U.K.); British Aluminium Commercial Extrusions (produces aluminium extrusions at three U.K. plants located at Banburry, St. Helens and Warrington), Aluminium Supply Aerospace (processes and distributes metal products including aluminium plate, sheet, and extrusions mainly used in aerospace applications from locations in the U.K.); and Baco Metal Centres (processes and distributes metal products including aluminium plate, sheet, and extrusions used in non-aerospace applications from locations in the U.K. and Ireland).

After the transfer of British Aluminium to Alcoa, Luxfer will retain certain aluminium businesses, namely its Gas Cylinders operating division and its hard-alloy aluminium extrusions and tubes businesses.