( + 15 % ) . IT STRESSED THAT THE PROJECT IS PART OF THE PUBLIC POLICY OF ENERGY SAVING IN OPERATION IN THE NETHERLANDS . IT ADDED THAT THE PROPOSED EXTENSION WOULD CREATE SOME 275 NEW JOBS IN THE FIRM AND THAT THE GRANT OF THE " ADDITIONAL PREMIUM FOR MAJOR SCHEMES " WOULD HAVE NO INFLUENCE ON THE FINAL SELLING PRICE .
IV
THE COMMUNITY PATTERN OF TRADE IN INSULATING MATERIALS INCLUDES THE NETHERLANDS MARKET . ROCKWOOL IS IN COMPETITION WITH ALL THE OTHER INSULATING MATERIALS ON THE MARKET ( GLASSWOOL , PLASTICS , ETC . ) , ALL OF WHICH ARE MANUFACTURED IN THE COMMUNITY .
DEMAND FOR INSULATING MATERIALS ON ANY GIVEN MARKET WOULD SEEM TO DEPEND NOT ONLY ON TRADITIONAL PATTERNS OF CONSUMPTION BUT ALSO ON THE LESS PREDICTABLE FACTOR OF STATE MEASURES TO ENCOURAGE INSULATION . THUS ALTHOUGH THE CURRENT UNFAVOURABLE ENERGY SITUATION HAS STIMULATED DEMAND FOR INSULATING MATERIALS GENERALLY , DEMAND IN MEMBER STATES VARIES WITH TIME AND ACCORDING TO THE TYPE OF INSULATING MATERIAL IN QUESTION . IN ITS DESCRIPTION OF ITS VARIOUS SUBSIDIARIES THE 1978 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GROUP TO WHICH THE NETHERLANDS FIRM BELONGS , REVEALS HOW WIDELY SITUATIONS DIFFER , PARTICULARLY ON THE COMMUNITY MARKET . HOWEVER , AN OVERALL INCREASE IN DEMAND OF SOME 15 % IS EXPECTED ON THE BENELUX MARKET , ON WHICH THE NETHERLANDS FIRM INTENDS TO CONCENTRATE ITS EFFORTS .
V
THE NEW PRODUCTION CAPACITY WILL HELP THE FIRM TO STRENGTHEN ITS GENERAL COMPETITIVENESS ON THE MARKET FOR INSULATING MATERIALS , PARTICULARLY ON THE NETHERLANDS MARKET , AS IT WILL ENABLE IT TO SATISFY GRADUALLY THE INCREASED DEMAND FOR INSULATING MATERIALS . FURTHERMORE , ACCORDING TO INFORMATION AVAILABLE , THE NEW CAPACITY WILL ENABLE THE FIRM AT THE SAME TIME AT LEAST TO MAINTAIN ITS CURRENT VOLUME OF EXPORTS TO THE OTHER MEMBER STATES .
THE NETHERLANDS FIRM INCREASED ITS SALES BY SOME 14 % IN 1978 , MAINLY AS A RESULT OF AN INCREASE IN VOLUME . IN VIEW OF THE FORECASTS FOR THE BENELUX MARKET IN PARTICULAR , IT SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE FULL USE OF ITS PRODUCTION CAPACITY . MOREOVER , THE GROUP'S CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNTS FOR 1978 CLASS THE NETHERLANDS PRODUCTION UNIT'S RESULTS AMONG THE MOST SATISFACTORY ; THE SAME IS TRUE OF THE 1979 RESULTS .
THE NETHERLANDS FIRM'S INVESTMENT IS PART OF A MAJOR PROGRAMME , BY THE GROUP TO WHICH IT BELONGS , ALSO INVOLVING THE FRENCH AND UNITED KINGDOM MARKETS , AIMED AT STRENGTHENING ITS OVERALL COMPETITIVENESS . IT WAS , IN FACT , ANNOUNCED THAT THE INVESTMENT IN THE NETHERLANDS WOULD BE MADE OVER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME THAN ORIGINALLY PLANNED , IN ORDER TO MAKE ALLOWANCE FOR THE PRODUCTION CAPACITY WHICH WOULD GRADUALLY BE COMING INTO OPERATION IN FRANCE AND THE UNITED KINGDOM . THE NETHERLANDS SCHEME THEREFORE SEEMS TO BE AN INVESTMENT SUITED TO THE FIRM'S DEVELOPMENT AND ONE WHICH IN ANY EVENT THE FIRM HAD EVERY INTEREST IN CARRYING THROUGH