Commission declines to give Sumitomo Forestry clearance to acquire Carter Holt Harvey MDF assets in Rangiora

The Commerce Commission has today declined to give clearance to Sumitomo Forestry Co Limited to acquire all of the medium density fibre board (MDF) assets and business operations of Carter Holt Harvey Limited (Building Supplies Division) situated in Rangiora.

The merged entity would only face limited constraint from the remaining existing competitor. The potential for imports would also unlikely constrain the merged entity's pricing.

Commerce Commission Chair Paula Rebstock said that the Commission cannot be satisfied that the proposed acquisitions will not have, or would not be likely to have, the effect of substantially lessening competition in the national market for the manufacture and supply of raw MDF panels.

Public versions of the written reasons for the decision will be available as soon as practicable on the Commission's website, www.comcom.govt.nz , under Public Registers.