The U.S. government’s blockage of Go Scale Capital’s acquisition of former Philips LED component business Lumileds in January 2016, has not deterred the Chinese manufacturer from bidding for Philips Lighting, reported Bloomberg Monday.
The private Chinese equity firm is bidding for Philips Lumileds business for an estimated EUR 5 billion (US $5.4 billion) said people familiar with the process, that had declined to be identified named.
The Dutch lighting giant might be hesitate to risk another failed sale to the Chinese bidder, said Bloomberg’s sources.
Two months ago, the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment blocked Go Scale Capital-led consortiums US $2.8 billion offer for Lumileds, halting the acquisition to prevent important technology to the American government under Chinese ownership.
There is still the possibility that Philips Lighting deal might be approved by the American government since its manufactures mainly end products including streetlights that are politically less sensitive than Lumileds, which offers LED components and lamps to the automotive industry, they said.
Philips management is still in the process of seeking potential buyers, and the next round of bids are expected to be due in April, said one of the persons familiar with the matter.
Go Scale Capital will be competing with UK investment company Melrose Industries, and buyout firms including Blackstone Group, Onex, and Apollo Global Management, said the sources.
For further detail please see the original Bloomberg report.