UK & Switzerland: EU agrees merger of British Scottish & Newcastle and Swiss Kuehne + Nagel International

European Union regulators approved June 29 a merger between one of Britain's biggest beer makers and a Swiss logistics company, Associated Press released June 29.

Scottish & Newcastle, whose brands include Foster's, Kronenbourg 1664 and the cider Strongbow, received the green light to merge with Kuehne + Nagel International in a drinks distribution venture, after the European Commission said the deal posed no antitrust concerns and would promote competition in the British drinks market by creating a strong player.

Kuehne + Nagel employs more than 40,000 employees worldwide and is one of the largest logistics companies in the world.

Scottish & Newcastle brews three of the top 10 beers in Europe -- Baltika, Foster's, and Kronenbourg 1664. Despite fears from Britain's Transport and General Workers' Union, the company insists it will not layoff any of the 1,900 employees in its delivery division.

Instead, the work force will be combined with existing Kuehne + Nagel staff contracted to work for the brewery giant, the company said.

30 June, 2006