THE BOARD ASKED THAT AECI'S BUSINESSES "MAINTAIN MARKET SHARE AND MARGINS THROUGH CONTINUED EXCELLENT SERVICE". OVERALL, MARKET SHARE WAS AT LEAST MAINTAINED AND WAS INCREASED IN SOME INSTANCES. ALTHOUGH CHEMSERVE'S MARGINS WERE DEPRESSED IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS, PERFORMANCE IN THE SECOND HALF WAS MORE IN LINE WITH THAT OF PREVIOUS YEARS. AEL ALSO IMPROVED ITS MARGINS AND GREW MARKET SHARE THANKS TO ITS INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION.