On May 4th 2000 in Paris (France) in the historical room "Lumier" the ceremony of rewarding of the ALCON Science and Technology Diamond Concern State enterprises ALCON-DIAMANT (director A. I. Ignatusha) and ALMAZINSTRUMENT (director V. A. Murovski) with "Gold medal SPI" took place. The honorary reward was presented to the ALCON Concern enterprises by the results of the production activity during 1999 on competitive basis according to analysis of advertisement-exhibition activity, study of information materials, placed on the Internet, other available sources of information, private appreciations made by heads of CIS enterprises

ALCON Concern was represented by the "Gold medal SPI" project manager, deputy director of science of the V. Bakul Institute for Superhard Materials A. A. Shepelev. The presentation of the reward was confirmed by decorating the director of ALCON-DIAMANT A. I. Ignatusha by the nominal certificate and the personal breastplate.

This decoration is awarded by Association of Assistance to the National Industry of France to CIS companies for the steadiness and dynamics in development, realization of new projects, heads of the companies are rewarded for achievements in the strategic management area.

Association of Assistance to the National Industry of France was founded in 1801 for the purpose of spreading information about achievements of French industry, creating of a network of scientific centers to service industry, taking into account geopolitical dynamics in industrial strategies, handing over the knowledge and know-how. This worldwide known organization works to reveal and recognize all those who develop their enterprises, thus promoting industrial and scientific progress.

SPI controls the Institute of Industrial Strategies (Institut des strategies industrielles, - ISTRA), supports Superior Institute of International Cooperation (Institut Superiur de Cooperation Internationale, - ISCI). SPI favors industrial, economic and social changes, organizes conferences, colloquiums on different topical scientific, technical, technological and economic subjects. Through its committees, the Association keeps tracks of technological progress and rewards those who promotes industrial progress, advances in different areas of economics, trade and industrial science. The Association works for attracting attention to the authors of innovations and inventions, which hold much promise for the future.

The presentation of the award "Gold medal SPI" by General director of the ALCON Concern, Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine N. V. Novikov to director of ALCON-DIAMANT company, candidate of science A. I. Ignatusha.

The honorary international rewards gotten by ALCON-DIAMANT and ALMAZINSTRUMENT enterprises are the evidence of recognition of their achievements in keeping steady and retaining of structure dynamics and proof their ability to survive in the most strict conditions of financial and economic crisis. This confirms the efficiency of the strategy of structural reconstruction which was held in ALCON Concern in 1995-1999 aiming at the organization of the complex of specialized self-supporting manufacturing enterprises in market environment.

We congratulate the staff members of ALCON-DIAMANT and ALMAZINSTRUMENT with honorary rewards and wish them success and many new rewards.