A new plant at La-Roche-sur-Yon will boost capacity of France´s leading manufacturer of robots for the plastics industry, Sepro Robotique (44 Boulevard des Etats-Unis, F-85000 La-Roche-sur-Yon), to 2,000 robots annually as of the year 2000. In 1998, the company automated 1,400 presses, 20% more than in 1997. Sepro Robotique claims to have an 85% share of the French market, more than 30% of the European market and 15% of the North American marke; it also is beginning to penetrate Latin America. Exports accounted for 65% of consolidated sales of FRF 300m in 1998. Product brochure “Pick and Place Robots”: PIE-No. 43860.