SECTION C Founded in 1970 in Alenon (Orne), the company MPO Fentres (Menuiserie Plastique de l'Ouest) was one of the first French companies in the PVC/carpentry sector to offer a customized service. However, at that time, in France, very little was known about PVC, carpentry and double-glazing technology: these markets were still in their infancy. It took about ten years, and two oil crises (in 1974 and especially in 1979) for the PVC window market to really take off. The commercial policy of EDF (the French public energy provider) at that time favored the development of this product, encouraging investors to push for "all electric" installations, which would, according to the manufacturer provider, require better insulation of public buildings to reduce heat loss. With regard to marketing and distribution, the business is customer-oriented: therefore, MPO Fentres has chosen to keep control of the entire supply chain, right through from the order to delivery to (and sometimes installation for) the customer. For both new and replacement windows, MPO Fentres markets, designs, manufactures and installs its own products, thus ensuring complete control of the order and keeping to a minimum the number of contacts for the customer. The company distributes its products through two distribution channels: a central department in charge of "key accounts" and "communities", and a network of eight agencies deployed in northeastern France, all owned by the company. These agencies are the cornerstone of the distribution network. Each agency employs fifteen salespersons, as the control of about 15% of its market area, and operates in a sales territory of approximately 45,000 customers. The company's salespeople actively seek potential clients, especially at trade fairs and exhibitions. These events