Icelandic food machinery group Marel now owns over 25% of Dutch engineering group Stork, a Stork spokesman confirmed on Thursday.

Marel is opposed to Stork’s pending takeover by British investment house Candover and wants to acquire Stork’s food processing division itself.
Candover, which is offering €47 a share for Stork, said it would consider the acquisition complete when it had been tendered 80% of the shares outstanding. Analysts say it may now be forced to lower that threshold.