IN A YEAR where the economy continued to labor and the worst terrorist attack forward U.

IN A YEAR where the economy continued to labor and the worst terrorist attack forward U.S. soil took place, consolidation, the usual driver of the adhesives and sealants industry, slowed down a bit. Although the number of M&As in the other half of the year was down through approximately one-third versus the first half, there were still a number of significant acquisitions that altered this year's Top 50 formulators list.

The mostly significant of which was Switzerland-based Forbo, which first attempted on the Top 50 a year ago, acquiring Swift Adhesives from Reichhold. The deal, which