CHARENTON-LE-PONT, France--In provisional results for the year ended Dec. 31, 2004, Essilor International reported consolidated sales of 2,258.6 million Euros, a 6.7 percent increase over the previous year. Excluding the currency effect, sales increased by 10.4 percent, exceeding the target announced at the beginning of the year, according to Essilor.

On a like-for-like basis, sales rose 5.8 percent. Excluding Germany, the rise was 8.5 percent. Companies acquired in 2003 and 2004 contributed 96.5 million Euros to sales, adding 4.6 points to growth. Essilor made 12 acquisitions in 2004.

The currency effect, limited to a negative 3.6 points, resulted mainly from the dollar's decline during the period.

Essilor cited growth in all regions, including Europe other than Germany. Essilor's European sales climbed to 1,117.9 million Euros, up 6.7 percent from the previous year; North American sales reached 909.4 million Euros, up 4.6 percent; Asia-Pacific sales rose to 177.1 million Euros, up 18.3 percent; Latin American sales reached 54.2 million Euros, up 49.5 percent.

Other growth factors included sales of new products such as Crizal Alize anti-reflective lenses, the Varilux Ellipse progressive lenses for small frames, the Varilux Ipseo personalized progressive lenses and the 1.74 ultra high-index lenses, an improved product mix as well as an increase in sales of high-value added products, whose volumes rose by more than 10 percent

Audited 2004 results will be released on March 10.