Kuwait's Competition Agency Publishes Two Cross-Border Merger Filings; 15-Day Objection Window Opens

On 21 June 2026, Kuwait's Competition Protection Agency published two economic-concentration applications in the Official Gazette (Kuwait Al-Youm, Issue 1796, pages 176-177), opening the statutory window for any interested party to object.

The first application concerns Sika AG (Switzerland), the global construction-chemicals group, which seeks clearance to acquire 100% of the share capital of three Turkish companies — Akim AYB Kimya San. ve Tic. (an industrial and commercial joint-stock company), Akdi Kimya, and Akim Europe S.à r.l. (wholly owned by Atlas Global YPI). Together these entities form the Akkim adhesives-and-sealants group, whose acquisition Sika announced publicly on 13 February 2026, with closing expected in the third quarter of 2026 subject to regulatory approvals. Sika has operated in Kuwait for decades through Sika Kuwait for Construction Materials & Paints W.L.L.

The second application concerns Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG (Germany), acting indirectly through its Luxembourg subsidiary Porsche Investments Management 1 S.à r.l., which seeks clearance to acquire 50% of the shares of KS Huayu AluTec GmbH (Germany), a manufacturer of aluminium castings. On completion, the target would fall under the joint control of the Porsche (Luxembourg) vehicle and Rheinmetall Asset Management Three GmbH (Germany).

Both filings are made under Law No. 72 of 2020 on the Protection of Competition and Article 83 of its Executive Regulations (issued by Decision No. 14 of 2021, as amended). Under that article, any person with an interest may submit a reasoned objection to an economic-concentration application within 15 days of the date of notification or publication — here, on or before approximately 6 July 2026. Objections are filed at the Agency's headquarters (Burj Al-Hamra, 14th floor) using the form available on its website, against payment of the prescribed fee.

The two notices illustrate the reach of Kuwait's merger-control regime over foreign-to-foreign transactions whenever the parties meet the applicable turnover thresholds through activity connected to the Kuwaiti market.