There is a new bid in for office supplier OfficeMax.
The competition regulator has started an informal review this week for an offer from Sydney-based Complete Office Supplies.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has requested comments from interested parties on the proposed purchase of OfficeMax by August 3.
The company's website says COS was founded in 1976 by Dominique Lyone and it now has more than 350 staff, and offices and warehouses in every state and territory.
The regulator put details of the review on its merger register.
The new offer is an interesting twist after private equity giant Platinum Equity agreed to purchase Staples Australia in March. Early this month, the ACCC requested further information from Platinum Equity and other parties on the proposed transaction and delayed its provisional date for a decision from July 20 to a date to be announced "in due course."
The private equity firm stands to control as much as 90 per cent of the B2B market in Australia and New Zealand via the two businesses – 10 times more than nearest rivals COS and Lyreco.
The ACCC has set a September 14 "provisional date" for a decision on the COS OfficeMax deal, which may reflect a final decision or the release of a statement of issues.
The regulator wants further information on topics including whether players in the market compete closely on product range, pricing, types and size of customers, and geographic areas of supply.
