Announced Actions for May 31, 1996

The Federal Trade Commission today announced the following actions. The FTC staff contact is Dan Ducore, 202-326-2526 or Elizabeth Piotrowski, 202-326-2623.

Applications for prior approval of transactions: The FTC has received an application for prior approval of a divestiture from the following. The application will be subject to public comments for 30 days, until July 1.

• Mustad International Group NV, of Bulle, Switzerland, and its subsidiary, Mustad Connecticut, Inc., of Bloomfield, Connecticut, have requested FTC approval to divest certain assets relating to the horseshoe nailmaking business to Metallurgica Rusconi Domenico SAS, which owns the “Mondial” trademark and is based in northern Italy. The divestiture is required under a 1995 consent order settling charges that, through a series of acquisitions, Mustad International and Mustad of Connecticut illegally monopolized the sale of rolled horseshoe nails in the United States, which allowed them to raise prices as much as 50 to 75 percent. The divestiture is designed to re-establish a viable competitor in the market. (See Nov. 7, 1995 news release for more details regarding the consent order; Docket No. C-3623.)

Petitions to reopen and modify FTC orders: The FTC has received a petition from the following entity. The Commission is seeking public comments on it for 30 days, until July 1.

• Del Monte Foods, Co., of San Francisco, California, has petitioned the FTC to reopen a 1995 consent order and modify its obligations to obtain the FTC’s prior approval, or to give the FTC prior notice, of certain acquisitions, marketing agreements and co-pack arrangements. The 1995 order settled FTC charges that supply and purchase option agreements between Del Monte and Pacific Coast Producers, under which Del Monte effectively took over Pacific Coast’s canned fruit business, violated federal antitrust laws by eliminating Pacific Coast as a substantial and direct competitior to Del Monte. (See April 14, 1995 news release for more detail regarding the consent order; Docket No. C- 3579.)

Comments on Del Monte petition should be addressed to the FTC, Office of the Secretary, 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. Copies of the documents referenced above are available from the FTC’s Public Reference Branch, Room 130, at the same address; 202-326-2222; TTY for the hearing impaired 1-866-653-4261. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202- 326-2710. FTC news releases and other materials also are available on the Internet at the FTC’s World Wide Web site at: http://www.ftc.gov