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The Â鶹´«Ã½ Trade Commission has approved Oerlikon-Buhrle Holding AG's application to divest its compact disk metallizer business to Diana Beteiligungs und Verwaltungs Gesellschaft GmbH. The divestiture was required under a February 1995 consent order, and is designed to restore competition in the market for the manufacture and sale of CD metallizer machines which allegedly was reduced when Oerlikon Buhrle acquired Leybold AG.

Oerlikon-Buhrle is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and Diana is a German firm.

The 1995 consent order settled charges that the Leybold acquisition would violate antitrust laws, and could raise prices and reduce innovation in markets for two products -- CD metallizers, used in the CD replication process to apply a reflective coating to the clear plastic disc, and turbomolecular pumps, used in the manufacturing of semiconductors. Prior to the acquisition, Leybold manufactured the two products in competition with Oerlikon-Buhrle. Among other things, the consent order required Oerlikon-Buhrle to divest the Leybold CD metallizer business, so as to restore the lost competition in that market.

The Commission vote to approve the divestiture was 5-0.

Copies of the Commission's letter of approval, the petition, and other documents associated with this case are available from the FTC's Public Reference Branch, Room 130, 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580; 202-326-2222; TTY for the hearing impaired 202-326- 2502. 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

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(FTC Docket No. C-3555)
(oerlik4)