Sika’s Acquisition of MBCC Faces In-Depth UK Merger Probe

Sika AG’s 5.5 billion-franc ($5.8 billion) purchase of MBCC Group faces an in-depth investigation by the UK’s merger watchdog over concerns the deal may weaken national competition in the supply of chemical admixtures.

Swiss building materials company Sika and its German rival MBCC had offered concessions that failed to sway the regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority said in a statement on Wednesday.

The offer wasn’t a clear-cut solution to the concerns identified last months, it said.

The CMA already flagged concerns last month, saying that the combined business would account for over half of admixtures supplied in the ...