MUMBAI, June 23: Ireland's Adare Printing Group Plc said on Monday it would continue to make acquisitions to follow its strategic path of branded goods and services in niche print and stationery sectors. "The group is assembling scale to its activities to ensure that it is a solid, cash-generative entity with a broad objective of achieving a 200 million Irish pound turnover by 1999," chairman Denis Bergin said in a results statement. It reported full-year pre-tax profit to April 30 of 10.9 million Irish pounds, a 41-per cent increase over its 7.7 million year-ago result. Adare recommended a final net dividend per share up 50 per cent to 4.479 pence. Sales rose 65 per cent from 70 million pounds to 116 million .

Taiwan Semicon to hike '96 profit target: Taiwan's top chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co said on Monday it would raise its 1997 sales and profit targets by more than 20 per cent within 10 days due to improving performance. "Due to improving performance and outlook, we have decided to raise our sales and profit targets for 1997 by more than 20 per cent," a company spokeswoman told Reuters. "The exact new targets will be announced within 10 days,"she said by telephone.

Synthalabo profit may rise: Pharmaceuticals company Synthelabo said on Monday that it expected sales to grow around 10 per cent this year and profit to increase at a faster rate. "Growth of consolidated sales for the six first months of 1997 should exceed 10.5 per cent, or 5.5 per cent on a comparable basis, in spite of weakness of the French and German markets," it said in a statement. "For the year 1997, sales growth should be around 10 per cent and net profit attributable to the group should increase at a higher rate than sales," it said.

Delhaize in Thai supermarket venture: Belgian retailer Delhaize "Le Lion" SA said on Monday it had agreed to set up a supermarket chain in Thailand in partnership with local firms. Delhaize will acquire 45 per cent of Bel-Thai Supermarket Co, whose partners will be the Mall Group (45 per cent) and Saha Group (10 per cent). Bel-Thai's initial capital will be one billion Thai Baht, or 1.4 billion Belgian francs. Delhaize said its initial investment would be 135 million baht or 190 million francs. Delhaize said Bel-Thai's business will run under the "FoodLion" banner.

Ricoh digital camera for PHS: Japan's Ricoh Co Ltd said on Monday it would soon launch a digital camera which will be able to transmit data through the personal handyphone system (PHS) as well as along standard phone lines. Ricoh said the DC-2S Would be the first digital camera to be able to send pictures in the form of digital data on the PHS phone system into a host machine such as a computer or another digital camera. PHS, which is increasingly popular in Japan, is a mobilephone technology which is cheaper than standard cellular phones but has a smaller range.

Toyota assembly line for `hybrid' cars: Toyota Motor Corp said on Monday it would build an assembly line for `hybrid' vehicles powered by gasoline and batteries at its plant in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan. A company spokeswoman said it plans to introduce the vehicles before the end of this year. She declined to give further details, but the Nihon Keizai Shimbun business daily reported at the weekend that Toyota plans to spend one billion to two billion yen on the new facilities and that they would have a production capacity of 1,000 vehicles per month.

Roche sells plant, nine products to ICN: Roche Holding AG said it agreed to sell its Humacao plant in Puerto Rico and nine prescription pharmaceutical products to ICN Pharmaceuticals Inc in a deal valued at a net $145 million. Under the agreement, which is subject to regulatory approvals, Roche is selling the plant in Puerto Rico, seven products and rights outside the US for two more products. Roche anticipates closing the sale on August 1, 1997 and adding that deal also calls for it to continue to operate the plant for two years and until ICN has build up its own production and distribution capacities, continue to manufacture and distribute the nine products.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.