Honeywell Gets Sigma Lab Chemicals Line

Sigma-Aldrich has signed a definitive agreement to sell part of its European research chemicals business to Honeywell International for about $120 million. The agreement fulfills a condition the European Commission set for approving Merck KGaA’s $17 billion acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich. Merck says the bigger deal should now close by the end of November. Honeywell gains access to product licenses for inorganics and solvents made in Selze, Germany. Honeywell will also get three global brands—Fluka, Hydranal, and Chromasolv—that will complement its own Burdick & Jackson line of solvents and reagents.