CA to initiate further proceedings regarding the acquisition between Yamaha and Konekesko

The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (FCCA) has initiated further proceedings concerning a transaction according to which Yamaha Motor Europe N.V. is to acquire part of Konekesko Oy’s motor boat production and sales operations.

The parties to the acquisition operate in the motor boat and other leisure machine and device markets. According to a notification of acquisition submitted to the FCCA in December 2016, Yamaha Motor Europe N.V. and Inhan Tehtaat Oy Ab – Buster Boats, a company it owns, would acquire the following business operations from Konekesko: the manufacturing outsourcing and sales of Yamarin and Yamarin Cross leisure-time boats; the sales of Finnmaster, TG-Boats and Zodiac motor boats; and the import and sales of Yamaha’s leisure machines and devices. Yamaha Motor Europe N.V. is part of Yamaha Motor Company Ltd, which manufactures various motor vehicles such as boats and their outboard motors.

The FCCA’s preliminary investigation suggests that the acquisition may impede effective competition in the motor boat market, as the parties are significant competitors for each other.

The FCCA will therefore investigate whether the acquisition substantially impedes effective competition on Finnish markets or a substantial part of the markets, particularly through the creation or reinforcement of a dominant market position. The FCCA may approve the acquisition as such, attach conditions to the approval or request that the Finnish Market Court prohibit the acquisition. According to the Competition Act, the further proceedings may not take longer than three months.

The FCCA’s decision includes the business secrets of the parties involved. The decision cannot be published until the business secrets have been removed, i.e. in around two weeks’ time.

Further information: Research Officer Laura Kauppila tel. +358 (0)29 505 3335, email: firstname.lastname@kkv.fi