8 January 1998: The US glass group Owens Illinois may be prevented by competition authorities from buying Rockware, BTR“s glass packaging business in the UK.
Rockware has more than 30% of the UK mar…
8 January 1998: The US glass group Owens Illinois may be prevented by competition authorities from buying Rockware, BTR“s glass packaging business in the UK. Rockware has more than 30% of the UK market, and is expected to fetch about UK 350 million. Together with United Glass, Owens Illinois“s existing UK glass operation, which has a similar market share, the acquisition would create a company with more than 60% of the UK market. This would risk a reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, rival industry members said recently. They also pointed to the UK government“s UK 13 million funding for a bottle factory in Northern Ireland which competes with Rockware and United Glass. Owens Illinois is also hoping to acquire ACI, Australia“s sole producer of glass bottles, for which BTR is expected to receive up to UK 1 billion.