Vallourec posts record sales for 2006

French group Vallourec, a world leader in the production of seamless steel tubes and tubular goods for special industrial applications, has announced record sales for 2006, worth a total of Euro 5.541 billion. The figure represents an increase of 28.7 percent on sales worth Euro 4.307 billion recorded for 2005. When compared to 2005, Vallourec's 2006 sales performance was more impressive at the start of the year than towards the end. Increases of 46.4 percent, 30.2 percent, 29.7 percent and 13.9 percent were registered for the successive quarters of 2006, compared to the corresponding quarters of 2005. In its press release, the group attributed its strong performance to its greater focus on high value added tubes, to increased prices and to the expansion of its sales volume. Vallourec also stated that it expects sustained demand to result in slightly increased sales for 2007. Vallourec holds approximately a 10 percent share of the world's seamless tube market.