China is now the company's second-largest market in Asia, after Japan, and sales are still expanding by more than 20 percent a year.

The early 70s saw Mapsco's sales expand beyond its own store to various retail outlets like gas stations and convenience stores.

But even as sales were expanding for the industry, they were shrinking at G.M. and Ford.

As recently as 1995, Coke's sales in Brazil expanded by a spectacular 34 percent.

Those inventories grew more than 40 percent in the quarter that ended June 30, while sales expanded just over 10 percent.

Retail sales have been expanding at a nearly double-digit rate this year, for instance.

Operating profit rose 25 percent, to 61 million marks (about $41 million), while sales expanded 11.3 percent, to 1.82 billion marks, the company said.

Domestic sales increased 12 percent while international sales expanded by 23 percent.

Retail sales for the region have expanded as Sterling has emerged as a regional retail hub.

After that, sales may expand to include registered, domestic production that is strictly monitored.