CORPORATE NEWS

ESSILOR, the world leader in ophthalmic optical, reported +11% increase in consolidated revenue to € 2.690 mn in 2006 compared with the previous year. The group increased its market share in every region following its mass-market progressive lens Varilux Physio(R) launched at the beginning of the year. Sales rose the most in Europe to +7.8% to € 1120.4mn and increased the fastest +20.4% in Latin America to € 76.7 mn followed closely by Asia +15.3% to € 202.1 mn In North America sales grew +12.8% Following the acquisition of Nassau in the United States and LTL in Italy, Essilor has acquired three companies to further extend its international network of wholesale distributors: the group took an equity stake in France's Novacel, a company founded 1994 with consolidated revenue of approximately € 39 mn last year. Peninsula Optical Lab Inc. in Seattle, Washington, with $5.5 mn in revenue last year was acquired and Beitler McKee Optical Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with $13 m in revenue was acquired in January of this year.

DANONE announced the acquisition of its partners, its 27-year-old Japanese joint venture. Calpis Ajinomoto Danone, the Group’s distributor in Japan, was acquired for an undisclosed amount. Danone previously held 50% of the venture, Calpis 30% and Ajinomoto 20%

IN THE NEWS

CNES, the national centre for space studies, announced that the COROT satellite, launched successfully last month, saw its first light coming from the constellation of the Unicorn near Orion, known as “the great hunter” on 18 January. The satellite’s mission is to survey vast stellar fields to learn about star interiors and to search for extra-solar planets. The protective cover of the COROT telescope was successfully opened, and CNES reported that the image taken during the in-orbit calibration exercise, shows that the quality of this preliminary data is basically as good as the computer simulations. On 18 January, the telescope was carefully aligned with the region to be observed, facing away from the centre of our Galaxy. This setting will be maintained until April when the Sun's rays start to interfere with the observations. COROT will then rotate by 180 degrees and will start observing the opposite region towards the centre of the Milky Way. COROT scientists are preparing for the science phase to start in February, and have been conducting a thorough examination of the data and the information collected so far

According to the National Office of Statistics, Insee, the Industrial EXPORT TURNOVER INDEX expressed in value (excluding energy and the food and agriculture industry) rose +1.6% against the previous month but fell -0.6% locally. The construction sector turnover index rose the fastest +2.3% along with capital goods +0.8% gain with exports jumping +4.7%  By contrast, the food and agriculture industry turnover index fell -1.3%  consumer goods -0.6% the automobile industry -1.7%  intermediate goods -1.1%  and energy -1.8%  

In 2007 trade with major partners stayed on the increase except with the US (-3% in 2007 compared with 2006) Japan -2% Norway and South Korea each -3% a declining trend noticeable from last October, according to EUrostat. EXPORTS to the Bric region recorded the largest increases Russia +23%, India +21%, Brazil +20% China (+12%), , along with Norway +13% IMPORTS rose the fastest from Brazil (+20%), China (+19%), India (+16%) and Turkey (+12%). The EU27 trade surplus decreased with the USA (+80.4 bn euro in 2007 compared with +93.8 bn in 2006) and remained nearly stable with Switzerland (+15.9 bn compared with +16.1 bn). The EU27 trade deficit grew with China (-159.2 bn compared with -131.0 bn), Japan (-34.2 bn compared with -32.5 bn) and Brazil (-11.2 bn compared with -9.4 bn), but decreased with Russia (-54.3 bn compared with -68.6 bn), Norway (-33.3 bn compared with -40.7 bn) and South Korea (-14.6 bn compared with -17.9 bn).On the same period, Germany remained the largest exporter with €+195.4 bn trade surplus, followed by the Netherlands €+43.5 bn, Ireland €+28.5 bn, Belgium €+12.9 bn and Sweden €+13 bn. The largest trade gaps were recorded by the UK €-132.6 bn Spain €-96 bn, France €-44.6 bn, Greece € -37.9 bn, Romania €-21.6 bn, Portugal € -19.4 bn and Poland € -17.4 bn