Merck KGaA Acquires Faust Group

Merck KGaA of Germany has acquired all the shares in the six companiesof the Faust Group through its subsidiary Bender & Hobein. Merck previously had a minority participation in four of the companies in the Faust Group, which is focused on laboratory supplies and achieved turnover in 1996 of 92 million Deutschemarks ($53.9 million).

Merck notes that Germany's Federal Cartel Office has opposed its plans to acquire KMF, also in the laboratory chemicals field, and says that both itself and KMF intend to appeal against the FCO's decision.