1.   And regional supermarket chains like Kroger Co. are in a frenzy of consolidation, merging to create national chains that can compete head to head with the discounters.

2.   As Wall Street firms merge to create giant wholesalers, regional financial-services companies are being forced to define their strengths.

3.   Creative Biomolecules Inc., Ontogeny Inc., and Reprogenesis Inc. merged to create a new Cambridge company called Curis Inc. Reprogenesis had products but needed money.

4.   Earlier this year, for instance, two Internet companies that cater to adventure travelers, Greentravel.com and AdventureQuest.com, merged to create Away.com.

5.   It is a place where concentration and ability merge to create superior performance.

6.   Plans call for pieces of Weber and Shandwick to be merged to create Weber Shandwick Worldwide of New York.

7.   The following year, Shinseito and other parties merged to create Shinshinto.

8.   With supermarket chains merging to create regional giants, Safeway also gets high marks for being on an acquisition spree.

9.   Anglo-Dutch publisher Reed Elsevier and Dutch publisher Wolters Kluwer said Monday they will merge to create a publishing powerhouse in the scientific and professional fields.

10.   Dai also said that small commercial banks would be merged to create larger, better capitalized entities with fewer financial risks.