EUROPEAN COMMISSION DG Competition

Only the English text is available and authentic.

REGULATION (EC) No 139/2004 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 31/07/2024

In electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32024M11599

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 31.7.2024 C(2024) 5637 final

PUBLIC VERSION

AUNDE Group SE Waldnieler Str. 151 41068 Mönchengladbach Germany

Toyota Boshoku Corporation 1-1 Toyoda-cho, Kariya-shi Aichi Japan

Dear Sir or Madam,

(1)(1) On 3 July 2024, the European Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger Regulation by which AUNDE Achter & Ebels GmbH (‘Aunde’, Germany), controlled by the Aunde Group SE (Germany) and Toyota Boshoku Corporation (‘TB’, Japan) will acquire within the meaning of Articles 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of TB Kawashima Co., Ltd. (‘TBKA’, Japan), currently controlled by TB. The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares and a joint venture 3agreement. ()

(2)(2) The business activities of the undertakings concerned are the following:

– Aunde produces under the brands Aunde, Isringhausen and Fehrer among other yarns, technical textiles and seat covers for automotive OEMs in Europe and worldwide,

– TB is an automotive component manufacturer, which focuses on passenger car seats, seats for trains and aircrafts as well as other interior and exterior vehicle components.

1() OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’). With effect from 1 December 2009, the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (‘TFEU’) has introduced certain changes, such as the replacement of ‘Community’ by ‘Union’ and ‘common market’ by ‘internal market’. The terminology of the TFEU will be used throughout this decision.

2() OJ L 1, 3.1.1994, p. 3 (the ‘EEA Agreement’).

3() OJ C, C/2024/4429, 10.7.2024.

(3)(3) TBKA focuses on the development, production and supply of various types of automotive textiles and interior fabrics particularly in Asia and the Americas.

(4)(4) After examination of the notification, the European Commission has concluded that the notified operation falls within the scope of the Merger Regulation and of paragraphs 5(a) and 5 (d) of the Commission Notice on a simplified treatment for 4certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. ()

(5)(5) For the reasons set out in the Notice on a simplified treatment, the European Commission has decided not to oppose the notified operation and to declare it compatible with the internal market and with the EEA Agreement. This decision is adopted in application of Article 6(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation and Article 57 of the EEA Agreement.

For the Commission

(Signed) Olivier GUERSENT Director-General

4() OJ C 160, 5.5.2023, p. 1 (the ‘Notice on a simplified treatment’).

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