FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German drugs and chemicals group Merck KGaA (MRCG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) will realign its Chemicals Business sector by merging its Pigments and Life Science & Analytics (LSA) divisions into one, the company said on Friday.
The change, meant to avoid increasing duplication in many regions of the world, will become effective from April 1 and create a new division to be called Performance & Life Science Chemicals.
"We are combining life science and pigments into one for the reason that markets are coming closer together...in food and cosmetics," Walter Zywottek, the head of Merck's chemicals business, said at a Reuters Chemicals Summit on Friday.
"They are coming together and we simply believe we can run these businesses better by combining them," he continued.
The realignment will allow the company to offer customers a broader range of products and services with one-stop shopping without neglecting special, application-oriented expertise, Merck said.
Its cash-cow liquid crystal business will remain separate.
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