After years of speculation about a sale, Merck is parting with its pigments business. The German pharmaceutical and technology group announced on Thursday that it will sell the business to the Chinese manufacturer Global New Material International (GNMI) for 665 million euros. GNMI has assured the employees in Germany of extensive job guarantees and a guarantee for the plant in Gernsheim until 2032. The group intends to invest the proceeds from the sale in its core businesses.