Bundeskartellamt clears acquisition of fireworks importer FKW Keller, Bochum, by Comet Feuerwerk GmbH, Bremerhaven, in the first phase of merger control

The Bundeskartellamt has cleared the acquisition of the fireworks business of FKW Keller, Bochum, by Comet Feuerwerk GmbH in preliminary examination proceedings.

Andreas Mundt, President of the Bundeskartellamt: "The merger reduces the number of suppliers from four to three. Nonetheless, we were able to establish that the merger does not raise any competition concerns. Large retailers usually invite offers for the supply of fireworks once a year and there is a constant change of supplier. The acquisition strengthens Comet's position as number two in the market. Due to Keller's difficult economic situation there would have been the risk, without the merger, of the company's customers increasingly switching to WECO, the market leader."

In Germany there are only four major suppliers of fireworks: WECO, Comet, Keller and NICO. Keller has informed the Bundeskartellamt that it is in a very difficult economic situation which it plans to ease by selling off its fireworks business.