At the beginning of the period ASEF sales stood at just over $30m. They experienced a fall the following year, before picking up again in 1997 and reaching a peak of $60m in 1998. Sales fell again slightly the following year but remained higher than their 1997 level. Chemicon sales exceeded those of ASEF in 1995 ($42m compared to $31m). Despite experiencing a fall in 1997, the overall trend was a slight rise over the four year period. Both companies ended 1999 with turnover of around $50m with Chemicon outselling ASEF for the first time since 1996.