2012剑桥商务英语阅读理解专项练习(10)( G$ `7 U3 Q ]8 G. i; M0 S
Lebrun Steel Facing up to Tough Times
. l7 M; F) R5 O8 a/ K 0 After 98 years of trading, the steel manufacturer Lebrun knows from experience as how
6 p/ c7 _: _. N! E 00 difficult fluctuations in the economic cycle can be for suppliers such as themselves.9 E0 L, o4 m+ [) h O$ J# [ ?
34 Since many of the nation's largest production companies which are its customers,
x, |3 ` w' t Y0 G, P: K' b 35 Lebrun is adversely affected by any change for the worse in the economy. Yet Lebrun, {" K/ I. h5 m0 k+ c
36 has managed to keep on sales steady (in the region of approximately $2.5 billion)www.ExamW.CoM
0 D6 J$ R, U1 _. s1 U* ?+ J 37 and has recorded only one annual loss during the difficulties of the past five2 G/ r- B' I: W: _: }
38 years, but despite the effects of the ongoing industrial slowdown. James Griffith," S* M3 K' M, t9 | v; X
39 president of Lebrun, now has the task of turning up survival into growth, and7 n# H, j, ~# ^+ z
40 his strategy is already becoming clear to those industry observers. In February of1 [& v6 f- m& O$ Z% X1 R
41 this year, the company acquired Bronson pic, additionally a one-time competitor.8 U F7 U" k' k
42 This merger will greatly expand the size of both Lebrun's labour force, and
: I2 y+ Z8 a; E% [9 ~) O/ z 43 Griffith estimates it will boost its revenue by nearly 50%, while too increasing U0 {4 D# t, P* ~$ V
44 the number of plants and R&D centres in much a similar way. Griffith is
5 W' ~, k9 }4 E# h) k7 \+ Y6 H9 X: I L
45 optimistic that while the steel industry is about to pull out of recession, and he wants Lebrun to be ready for this. |