Settlements: The European Commission considers that an up-front buyer can guarantee the viability of the divested assets and encourage new entry in the market (Sonoco/Ahlstrom)

*This article is an automatic translation of the original article, provided here for your convenience. Read the original article. – EC Comm, 6 October 2004, Sonoco / Ahlstrom / JV, Case COMP/M.3431 Sonoco and Ahlstrom, both active in the cores sector (cores: cardboard tubes forming the core of a paper or textile roll, ranging from toilet paper to large rolls used by the printing or textile industry) and the cardboard used to manufacture these cores (coreboard) have notified the creation of a full-function joint venture. The main focus of the analysis is on large cores used for printing (high-end cores) and textile (yarn carriers) and smaller cores (low-value cores). The Commission notes in particular that, on the supply side, the manufacture of more complex cores requires specific