In November, the CMA announced that both Veolia and Suez have accepted the terms of how Suez’s UK waste business will be sold (see letsrecycle.com story).
This did not mean that the CMA had yet agreed to the sale of Suez’s UK waste division back to the new Suez after a deal was agreed in September (see letsrecycle.com story) , but that it has agreed to the terms of a prospective sale.
The sale of the Suez was business back to Suez was completed on 5 December, but the CMA’s probe was only closed yesterday (22 February), after the water business sale was completed earlier this month.
‘Close’
The notice formally ends the long-running investigation, which was first in February 2021.
The notice said: “Veolia has now completed the sale of all three divestment businesses to purchasers approved by the CMA by: divesting Suez’s UK waste business to ‘New Suez’ on 5 December 2022; divesting Veolia’s European Mobile Water Services business to Saur on 30 November 2022; and Suez’s UK Industrial Water Operation and Maintenance Business to Saur on 15 February 2023.
“This brings the merger investigation to a close.”
Suez
‘New Suez’ was the acquirer of certain Suez businesses which Veolia was required to divest under the European Commission remedy commitments.
With the Suez waste activities under its belt, Suez is now the third largest waste recycling and recovery company in the UK, behind Veolia and Biffa, with a “unique position in developing new waste treatment activities in line with recent national regulatory developments”.
Suez recycling and recovery UK has a portfolio of more than 25,000 industrial and municipal customers, employs around 6,000 people and generates turnover of more than £900 million.
Subscribe for free