OFT clears Direct Hygiene sale
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has cleared the sale of Direct Hygiene to the PHS Washroom group.
The Tarleton-based washroom services company was bought by the Welsh workplace services company for an unknown sum in October 2011.
The inquiry examined to see if the deal qualifies as a "relevant merger situation" under the Enterprise Act 2002; and looked at whether there is a "realistic chance" the merger will "substantially lessen competition".
The OFT can look at a merger before the close of the deal or up to four months after the deal has been completed.
Two of PHS's other acquisitions were also under scrutiny by the watchdog. The acquisitions of Capital Hygiene Services and Albany Facilities, both based in Essex, have also been cleared.
Direct Hygiene has more than 7,500 customer sites in the UK.
