Office supplies group Buhrmann booked growth of 1% (excluding acquisitions) in the fourth quarter of 2006, well below analysts’ forecasts of around 4.9%. Buhrmann chairman Frans Koffrie said sales in the US had been particularly disappointing. US sales fell 5.7% to €763.6m. The group as a whole saw fourth-quarter earnings up from €32.9m to €40.9m on sales up from €1.6bn at €1.7bn.