16 Jan 08 Russian truck maker KAMAZ 2007 revenue up 23 pct

Russia’s largest truck maker, KAMAZ said on Tuesday its 2007 revenues rose about 23 percent to 85.25 billion roubles ($3.51 billion) as truck sales volume increased by 20 percent.The company said in a statement it sold 52,648 trucks last year. It sold 39,187 vehicles domestically and exported 13,461 units, up 21 percent and 19 percent year-on-year, respectively.

KAMAZ, which produces nearly three quarters of Russian dump trucks and about half of the country’s other large cargo vehicles, said it exported every fourth truck it produced.

The company had forecast 2007 revenues of 85-87 billion roubles and net profit of at least 8 billion roubles. It had expected sales of around 53,000 trucks.

KAMAZ gave no figure for last year’s net profit. In 2006, its earnings rose by more than 50 percent to 4.1 billion roubles, while revenues amounted to 71 billion roubles.

The company’s Russia-listed stock was up 9.15 percent at 165.91 roubles by 1335 GMT.