EU extends review of Thermo Electron/Fisher deal

Hits:1847   Date: 10/20/2006

The European Commission said on Thursday it had extended the deadline for its consideration of plans by scientific instruments company Thermo Electron Corp. to buy medical device maker Fisher Scientific International Inc.

The deadline for the EU executive to consider approval of the $10.6 billion deal between the two U.S. firms was extended to Nov. 9 from Oct. 24.

A spokeswoman said that would allow the Commission more time to review commitments the companies had offered to ameliorate competition problems with the transaction.

Fisher is one of the world's biggest wholesale distributors of scientific equipment and instruments, selling more than 600,000 products ranging from Erlenmeyer flasks to video/microscope systems.

(Source from REUTERS)