Norsk Hydro-Alumetal review places green killer acquisitions on the regulatory map
Norsk Hydro seems to have been taken by surprise by the regulatory speedbumps now faced by its plan to buy metals recycler Alumetal, with the EU merger regulator referring the deal for an in-depth probe. It\u2019s another example of the European Commission\u2019s heightened vigilance about large companies snapping up smaller, innovative competitors \u2014 but with an interesting twist. A \u201cgreen killer acquisition\u201d is when smaller players with strong environmental credentials are snapped up by bigger companies looking for shortcuts in their transition towards a low-emissions economy. This probe may offer the EU regulator a chance to place the green dimensions of M&A under the microscope.