9810161 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
In the matter of Docket No. C-3852 DECISION AND ORDER The Federal Trade Commission ("Commission") having initiated an investigation of the proposed acquisition by Lafarge Corporation, a corporation controlled by Lafarge, S.A. (collectively "Lafarge"), of the Seattle cement plant and related assets of Holnam, Inc. ("Holnam"), and respondents having been furnished with a copy of a draft of complaint which, if issued by the Commission, would charge respondents with violation of Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 45, and violation of Section 7 of the Clayton Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 18; and The respondents, their attorney, and counsel for the Commission having thereafter executed an agreement containing a consent order, an admission by the respondents of all the jurisdictional facts set forth in the aforesaid draft of complaint, a statement that the signing of said agreement is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by the respondents that the law has been violated as alleged in such complaint, and waivers and other provisions as required by the Commission's Rules; and The Commission having thereafter considered the matter and having determined that it had reason to believe that the respondents have violated the said Acts, and that a complaint should issue stating its charges in that respect, and having thereupon accepted the executed consent agreement and placed such agreement on the public record for a period of sixty (60) days, now in further conformity with the procedure prescribed in § 2.34 of its Rules, the Commission hereby issues its complaint, makes the following jurisdictional findings and enters the following order:
ORDER IT IS ORDERED that, as used in this order, the following definitions shall apply:
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that respondents shall not enter into any contract, agreement, or understanding, relating to the acquisition by Lafarge of any or all of the Holnam Acquisition Assets, in which the amount of any payment by Lafarge or Holnam made after the closing of the acquisition is calculated by reference to, affected by, or dependent upon, directly or indirectly, the quantity of cement produced or sold by Lafarge in any market in the states of Washington or Oregon. III. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, within thirty (30) days after the date this order becomes final or within thirty (30) days after the date on which respondents consummate the acquisition of any or all of the Holnam Acquisition Assets, whichever is later, respondents shall submit to the Commission a verified written report setting forth in detail the manner and form in which they have complied with Paragraph II of this order. Respondents shall include in their compliance report, among other things, a full description of the efforts made to comply with Paragraph II of the order. IV. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that respondents shall notify the Commission at least thirty (30) days prior to any proposed change in the corporate respondents such as dissolution, assignment, sale resulting in the emergence of a successor corporation, or the creation or dissolution of subsidiaries or any other change in the corporations that may affect compliance obligations arising out of the order. V. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, for the purpose of determining or securing compliance with this order, upon written request, respondents shall permit any duly authorized representative of the Commission:
By the Commission. Donald S. Clark ISSUED: February 12, 1999 |