On November 27, 2024, the Competition Council (KP) granted permission for 760203 N.B. LTD. to acquire decisive influence over Sport Maska Inc., a registered Canadian company. The KP concluded that the merger would not significantly harm competition, leading to the approval of the transaction.

760203 N.B. LTD. is a newly established management company indirectly owned by Altor Fund VI, part of Altor Equity Partners. Altor manages a portfolio of private equity funds that operate globally across various sectors, including industrial, healthcare, business services, consumer goods, and technology.

Sport Maska Inc. is a Canadian holding company engaged in the design, manufacturing, and sale of hockey equipment under the CCM brand in Canada, the USA, Europe, and Asia. Their product range includes hockey skates, sticks, helmets, protective gear, and hockey-related apparel and accessories, as well as a limited selection of figure skating and other skating equipment under the Jackson Ultima and Atom Skates brands.

After evaluating the information provided by the companies and the data available to the KP, it was determined that the merger would not significantly alter market structure, reduce competition, or create or strengthen a dominant position in the affected markets in Latvia. Therefore, the merger was deemed permissible.

To prevent significant reductions in competition resulting from mergers, the Competition Council requires approval for transactions that meet the criteria set out in the Competition Law. This ensures state control over market concentration to avoid structural changes that could limit consumer choices or lead to non-competitive pricing for goods and services in the long term. More information on merger control in Latvia is available on the Competition Council's website under the 'Merger Control' section.