PlayPower Inc. and BCI Burke Company LLC have abandoned their proposed merger, Attorney General 's office said Oct. 27, a week after California joined the Federal Trade Commission and a bipartisan group of 12 states in suing to block it.
The two companies are among the five largest national suppliers of commercial outdoor playground equipment. Those five account for roughly 85% to 90% of U.S. sales, according to the office.
The lawsuit argued the deal would have substantially lessened competition nationwide and in California, in violation of Section 7 of the federal Clayton Act, and could have led to higher prices and lower quality.
Most commercial playground equipment is bought with government money, largely by schools and parks and recreation departments, so higher prices would have fallen mainly on taxpayers, the office said.
“The end of the proposed PlayPower/Burke merger is a remarkable victory for taxpayers, our schools, local parks and recreation departments, and our kids,” Bonta said.
State
Rob Bonta
Attorney General · Democrat
Named once in this story.
Portrait: Official portrait
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