FTC Approves Consent Order Modifications in Matter of Associated Octel Company

Commission approval of consent order modifications:

– Following a public comment period, the Commission has approved certain modifications to a supply agreement in response to a request for approval filed by The Associated Octel Company, Ltd. under a 1999 consent order. The Commission issued that order, which required the supply agreement, to address competitive issues in the lead antiknock compounds market raised by Associated Octel’s 1999 acquisition of Oboadler Company Limited. In its request, which can be found on the FTC’s Web site as a link to this press release, Associated Octel reports that it made several changes to the Price and Payment provision of an agreement to supply AllChem Industries, Inc. with such lead additives for 15 years, without obtaining the Commission’s prior approval as required by the order, and accordingly sought Commission approval for those changes after the fact.

Because the changes to the supply agreement resulted in lower prices to AllChem and made it more competitive, the Commission determined that the changes enhanced competition in the U.S. lead antiknock compounds market and are in the public interest. The Commission, in approving the requested modifications, also determined not to take any further action for Octel’s failure to seek timely prior FTC approval for those modifications.

The Commission vote approving the company’s request was 5-0. (FTC Docket No.
C-3913; the staff contact is Elizabeth Piotrowski, Bureau of Competition, 202-326-2623; see press releases dated September 7, 1999, and December 13, 2005.)

Copies of the documents mentioned in this release are available from the FTC’s Web site at http://www.ftc.gov and from the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20580. Call toll-free: 1-877-FTC-HELP.