Hi, here's my tuppence...
I find that if you e-mail a prod co with a brief synopsis, they will generally get back to you fairly sharpish with a yes, we want to read this; or no, bog off. I've had stuff read quite a lot like this (although none bought so far )
After all, once they request your script it becomes solicited, so the key is generating interest with a really great synopsis.
BTW, I work through the list of companies on the 'Film File Europe' site, matching what I've got to sell with the type of thing they produce.