Metlac Successfully Resists Attempted Acquisition by Akzo Nobel

On December 16, 2014, the UK’s Supreme Court rejected AkzoNobel’s request to appeal the Court of Appeal’s judgment confirming the correctness of the decision of the Competition Commission – now Competition and Markets Authority – that, in December 2012, prohibited the attempted acquisition of the Italian metal packaging coating manufacturer by AknoNobel.

Cleary Gottlieb represented Metlac, that opposed the acquisition, in the proceedings carried out by the Competition Commission e before the three UK courts that dealt with the case.

The Supreme Court’s rejection decision exhausts AkzoNobel’s efforts to acquire Metlac, one of the largest European manufacturers of metal packaging coating for the food and beverage industries.