Merck KGaA urges Schering to consider offer

The chief executive of Merck KGaA has urged Schering AG to consider the offer tabled by the company and take a seat at the negotiating table.

According to the AFX news agency, Michael Roemer was speaking in an interview with Der Tagesspiegel when he said that Schering should discuss Merck KGaA’s 77 euros per share offer for the company.

“The door is open for talks with Schering. Right now, it is not up to us to be making further offers,” Mr Roemer said in the interview.

Mr Roemer went on to say that so far Schering has refused to talk with Merck KGaA about the move and that an official offer will be made in April with a decision hopefully made by June, AFX reports.

Also hinted at was the future of the Schering brand and employees. Mr Roemer said that in the event of a merger, the Schering and Merck KGaA brands would co-exist and that Berlin ? where the Schering headquarters are located ? would still play an important role.

AFX also reports that Schering workers are behind the company in their rejection of the unsolicited takeover from Merck KGaA.

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