Vajda-Papír Kft., Hungary’s leading hygiene paper manufacturer, has received unconditional approval from the Hungarian Competition Authority (Gazdasági Versenyhivatal – GVH) for its acquisition of Sofidel Hungary Kft.’s private-label household paper manufacturing and partial sales business.

The GVH approved the transaction without imposing any commitments or conditions, concluding that the acquisition would not significantly reduce competition in the relevant markets. The approval fulfills one of the key regulatory conditions required to complete the transaction.

The authority conducted a full merger-control procedure and consulted more than 30 market players, including private-label paper manufacturers and major domestic retail chains, to assess the potential competitive effects of the acquisition.

Key Transaction Details

• Acquired Business: Sofidel Hungary’s private-label household paper manufacturing and partial sales business.
• Location: The acquired operation is based at Sofidel Hungary’s plant in Lábatlan, Hungary.
• Regulatory Clearance: Approved by the Hungarian Competition Authority without commitments or conditions.
• Closing: Financial closing is expected once the remaining contractual closing conditions have been fulfilled.
• Strategic Rationale: The acquisition is intended to strengthen Vajda-Papír’s regional position in the household paper market, expand production capacity, and enhance service and supply security.
• Investment Program: The transaction complements Vajda-Papír’s HUF 40 billion, three-year investment program, the largest in the company’s history, which aims to expand production capacity by approximately 40%, modernize technology, improve energy efficiency and further strengthen the group’s regional market position.

“The approval by the competition authority is an important milestone in the implementation of the transaction. The acquisition will allow us to further strengthen our market position and serve our partners in Hungary and export markets at an even higher standard. Our long-term goal is to further increase the security of supply in the region, while building our growth on state-of-the-art technologies and the expertise of our colleagues,” said Attila Vajda, founder and managing director of the Vajda-Papír Group.

Vajda-Papír also highlighted the importance of the workforce at Sofidel Hungary’s Lábatlan plant. Following the closing, employees at the facility will have access to the benefits, training opportunities and long-term career paths available across the Vajda-Papír Group, while the company plans further staff expansion.

The acquisition forms part of Vajda-Papír’s broader long-term growth strategy. Earlier this year, the company announced its HUF 40 billion investment program, to be implemented over three years, targeting approximately 40% additional production capacity alongside technological modernization and improved energy efficiency.

About Vajda-Papír Group

Vajda-Papír Group is a 100% Hungarian family-owned company and Hungary’s leading hygiene paper manufacturer. The group employs more than 700 people across three locations in Hungary and one in Norway. It has annual production capacity exceeding 140,000 tonnes and exports its products to more than 30 countries.

About Sofidel Group

Headquartered in Italy, Sofidel Group is one of the world's leading manufacturers of tissue paper for hygienic and household use. Sofidel Hungary Kft. operates the Lábatlan facility, which is involved in the production and sale of household paper products.

The transaction concerns Sofidel Hungary’s private-label household paper manufacturing and partial sales business rather than the acquisition of Sofidel Hungary Kft. as a whole.