The group's 3 sites in France consumed 1 009 241 m3 of water during the year, electricity consumption represented 21.3 MWh, natural gas is the equivalent of 128.2 MWh, and propane gas consumption came to 38 tonnes.

Among the measures taken to limit the impact on the biological balance, there is the cooling of liquid effluents by heat recuperation exchangers for energy recuperation and the treatment of steam production gas fumes to reduce their alkalinity, making sure that there are no leaks in piping, the sampling of waste water for inspection in independent laboratories. The subsoil is monitored using piezometers around many industrial facilities.

Many actions are regularly undertaken to optimise and reduce energy and later consumption. The first phase of investment has started in the St Amarin plant to install equipment to recuperate calories from the condensates given off by the main machines; the second phase will being during 2007.

All the effluents from our plants are channelled to external sewage plants (SIVOM, ASIHVT), and volumes treated represent on average 5 700 m3 per day in 2006. Operating costs of the water and waste treatment stations came to €519 K.

In each site teams are trained to deal with environmental issues. These teams work with the Health and Safety Committees or outside consultancies, without forgetting regular visits from experts from the insurers, whose comments contribute

to improving pollution accident risk management. It should also be noted that some of our dyeing shops and warehouses are protected by sprinkler systems to reduce fire risks.

The group has made provisions for pollution for the US facility that we occupied several years ago; the amount of provisions on the books came to US$700 K at the end of 2006.

No compensation payments were made on order of the courts during the financial year.

Insurance and Risk

Cover Material Damage Insurance

The group has insurance cover for all its subsidiaries for material damage, loss of operations and civil liability.

The amounts are insured in relation to specific risks: 80 M in damage loss of operation and €15 M in civil liability operations/delivered products.

In agreement with the insurance companies action plans are defined to reduce risks overall. With the operational managers of the various entities, there are regular visits from specialised risk engineers from the insurers to look into the state of progress of these plans. These actions have made it possible to develop prevention actions and bring down the costs of the insurance premiums.

Credit insurance

The main part of customer receivables is covered by credit insurance contracts (SFAC, COFACE), only very small receivables do not have specific insurance.