Novelis Inc., an aluminum rolling and recycling company, says that the European Commission has approved its proposed acquisition of Aleris Corp.
The approval is conditioned upon the sale of Aleris' plant in Duffel, Belgium, which produces aluminum for the automotive and specialties markets. Novelis is working expeditiously to market the plant to potential buyers, with the chosen counterparty and the definitive agreement for divestiture subject to European Commission approval.
With this conditional approval in the European Union, as well as a clear path forward for approval in the U.S., Novelis continues to work closely with the Chinese State Administration for Market Regulation to receive its approval.
Steve Fisher, President and CEO of Novelis Inc., said in a statement "Overall, this transaction will strengthen our ability to compete against steel in the automotive market, meet growing customer demand for aluminum, achieve our recycling goals, and bolster our sustainability platform worldwide. In addition, it will further enhance our strategic position in Asia and diversify our overall product portfolio."
The company expects to close the transaction by January 21, 2020, the outside date under the merger agreement.
