Italian merger set in drug ingredients

The Italian firm Olon has acquired its rival Infa in a deal that will create one of Europe’s largest pharmaceutical chemical makers. The combined company expects its sales this year to exceed $335 million. It will operate seven plants in Italy and one in Spain that make active ingredients for generic drugs and provide contract manufacturing. The combined firm is owned by Italy’s P&R Group, which also owns the drug company Fidia Farmaceutici and the resin maker Sir Industriale.