Acquirer(s)

  • Gebr. Knauf KG

Target(s)

  • USG Corporation and Armstrong World Industries Pty Ltd

Summary

Knauf and USG proposed to merge their businesses. In Australia, USG is active through a 50% interest in a joint venture with Boral Limited known as USG Boral Building Products Pty Ltd (USG Boral). Knauf and USG Boral both manufacture and supply various building materials, including plasterboard, metal profiles, plasters, fixed suspended ceilings, modular suspended ceilings and insulation products.

Separately, Knauf proposed to acquire Armstrong World Industries Pty Ltd (AWI). AWI supplies modular suspended ceilings in Australia.

The ACCC reviewed the proposed acquisitions together.

Market definition

Please refer to the Public Competition Assessment.

Competition analysis

Please refer to the Public Competition Assessment.

Public competition assessment

Document title Date
Public Competition Assessment

Timeline

Date Event

ACCC commenced review under the Merger Process Guidelines.

Closing date for submissions from interested parties.

Former provisional date for announcement of findings delayed to allow merger parties more time to provide additional information.

ACCC received further information from merger parties.

ACCC announced it would not oppose the proposed acquisitions, subject to a section 87B undertaking accepted by the ACCC.

During the course of the review the ACCC also made a number of document and information requests to the merger parties that are not separately identified in the entries above. Collectively, the parties took 91 business days to respond to these other requests.