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Diamon-Fusion International (DFI) reached a licensing agreement with Italian glass manufacturer Curvet Spa (Gruppo Industriale Curvet).

Japan's largest glass maker, Asahi Glass Co. Ltd, announced Friday it will launch a $415 million public tender next week for the 35 percent of Belgian glass maker Glaverbel SA it doesn't already own.

Glaverbel SA shares closed slightly firmer in heavy trade, amidst speculation that funds are trying to block Asahi Glass Co Ltd's buyout bid, brokers said.

Shareholders holding about 12% of Belgian glassmaker Glaverbel have banded together to oppose a takeover bid from Asahi Glass for the 35% of Glaverbel not owned by Japan's largest glass company.

Over the last three trading days, the Glaverbel share price has increased to over 145 euro per share, with abnormally high trading volumes.

The Board of Directors of Glaverbel S.A. met on Tuesday 8 January 2002 to formulate the opinion that it must give to the Banking and Finance Commission, concerning the public tender offer announced on 19 December by Asahi Glass for the Glaverbel S.

Asahi Glass Co Ltd president Shinya Ishizu said he expects a "huge" increase in profitability from the reorganisation of its worldwide glass operations including the planned buyout of its Glaverbel SA unit.

Vitrum 2001 the international trade fair for machinery, equipment and systems for the processing of flat and hollow glass, glass and finished products for the industry, opened its doors October 3rd, in a climate of widespread uncertainty.

Consolidated sales for Groupe Lapeyre amounted to Ï1,084.1 million at September 30, 2001, an increase of 15.3% compared with the first nine months of 2000.

VITRUM 2001, the international trade fair dedicated to machinery, equipment and systems for flat and hollow glass, manufactured and processed glass and glass products for industrial use, closed its doors on Saturday, October 6th.

At Vitrum 2001 Optical Surface Technologies (OST) will present both well-known brands the Regipol and Tecepol. These brands have been in existence for nearly 40 years and are produced at OST's factory in the north of England.