Under the EU Merger Regulation, the European Commission has approved the acquisition of Rockwell Collins by United Technologies Corporation (UTC) subject to UTC's divestment of businesses in actuators, pilot controls, ice protection and oxygen systems. The Commission concluded that the proposed transaction, as modified by the commitments, would no longer raise competition concerns in the European Economic Area (EEA). The decision is conditional upon full compliance with the commitments.
“When we take a trip on a plane, we usually don't think about all the different components that go into building the aircraft. UTC and Rockwell Collins are two of the biggest suppliers of these components to aircraft makers worldwide. We need to ensure that competition is preserved for all of them. We can allow this merger to go ahead because in all the markets where we raised concerns, UTC has committed to divest activities covering the entire overlap between the two companies,” said Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who is in charge of competition policy.
Both UTC and Rockwell Collins supply aerospace systems and equipment to aircraft producers such as Airbus and Boeing, manufacturing a wide range of products, with largely complementary portfolios. While UTC focuses more on products such as power generation, propulsion systems and landing systems, Rockwell Collins tends to focus more on avionics and different cabin interior products.
UTC, based in the US, provides high-technology products and services for the building systems and aerospace industries worldwide. The UTC group comprises the following business units: (i) Otis Elevator Company, (ii) UTC Climate, Controls & Security, (iii) Pratt & Whitney, and (iv) UTC Aerospace Systems.