2012剑桥商务英语高级阅读理解精选题108 a, P. _9 \5 O$ g9 ?. r
Lebrun Steel Facing up to Tough Times& {9 o6 P5 j6 c/ A
0 After 98 years of trading, the steel manufacturer Lebrun knows from experience as how& c/ @+ i: P/ [# c1 h( W
00 difficult fluctuations in the economic cycle can be for suppliers such as themselves.
; M/ b) g# T. p5 g 34 Since many of the nation's largest production companies which are its customers,
! d5 J0 g- |3 I% v$ J; |0 o: ^- T5 g 35 Lebrun is adversely affected by any change for the worse in the economy. Yet Lebrun
( f( r, D) s- N7 k9 ^ 36 has managed to keep on sales steady (in the region of approximately $2.5 billion)/ ?6 ^% \' _% o1 K
37 and has recorded only one annual loss during the difficulties of the past five9 N" U" E: X: U
38 years, but despite the effects of the ongoing industrial slowdown. James Griffith," I" Q' t9 |: |. V; s5 y
39 president of Lebrun, now has the task of turning up survival into growth, and/ _3 R# o4 R- a( Y5 O+ W# _
40 his strategy is already becoming clear to those industry observers. In February of( u! e% K# `0 v8 H9 Y
41 this year, the company acquired Bronson pic, additionally a one-time competitor.8 b# t1 ^. C' }) _; @& }3 c+ a" }0 N
42 This merger will greatly expand the size of both Lebrun's labour force, and+ I! s/ f, [/ Y+ z- ~' J, W. Z
43 Griffith estimates it will boost its revenue by nearly 50%, while too increasing5 k4 s" _: N& K1 s. K& M& _
44 the number of plants and R&D centres in much a similar way. Griffith is
$ {- C7 d" W+ a6 Q
6 }" @: ~% q2 g; h# ^ 45 optimistic that while the steel industry is about to pull out of recession, and he wants Lebrun to be ready for this. |