Regulator confirms Breedon sales
Breedon required to sell asphalt and ready-mixed concrete plants in north-east Scotland
THE Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will require Breedon Aggregates Ltd to sell an asphalt plant in the Aberdeen area and a ready-mixed concrete plant in the Peterhead area. The company will also face a price control for asphalt produced in the Inverness area.
The measures are designed to preserve competition and protect customer interests following an inquiry into Breedon’s acquisition of a package of assets from Aggregate Industries UK Ltd in April 2013.
The CMA, which has taken over the case from the Competition Commission (CC), has found in its final report that this acquisition would lead to a reduction of competition in three areas of north-east Scotland, confirming the CC’s provisional findings which were published in early February.
To address these concerns, the CMA will now require Breedon to sell either the Tom’s Forest or Craigenlow asphalt plant and one of the Peterhead or Stirlinghill ready-mixed concrete plants to a competitor approved by the CMA – along with the staff needed to operate the plants and associated contracts and supply agreements.
Because the competition concerns in relation to the asphalt market in Inverness are expected to be short term, asphalt supplied by the company will be subject to a price control in that area until 2018 at the latest.
In response to the measures, Breedon have confirmed that they will work with the CMA to finalize the terms of the divestments and undertakings within 12 weeks.
A spokesperson for the company said: ‘Breedon have every intention of reaching agreement with the CMA as quickly as possible, in order to expedite the sale of the assets concerned and proceed with the full integration of the former Aggregate Industries businesses.’
