The entire group around Tatra saw sales grow by 15 percent to Kc6.62bn and its profit reached Kc395m. Tatra estimates that sales will grow by another 20 percent this year. In the first quarter of this year, Tatra’s sales rose by 41 percent year-on-year. The company sold 423 lorries. All Tatra’s subsidiaries reached record sales and profits in the first quarter, Vlcek said. The company already has orders for this year’s output which is planned at 2,300 lorries. Tatra fared the best in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Russia and India last year. In India it reckons with a Kc1bn order. Another large roughly Kc2.6bn order is a supply of lorries for the Czech military. The Czech military will get the first thirty out of the over 500 lorries probably this year in November. It will start to test them in June. Most of the lorries are to be supplied next year, Tatra CEO Ronald Adams said. Tatra also plans a joint venture with companies in Vietnam. It wants to take part in supplying Vietnam’s military with new arms and equipment. The plant in Vietnam could produce up to 500 lorries annually. Tatra’s subsidiaries also fared well last year. The company Taforge had Kc19m profit, Tafoco profit reached Kc27m and Tawesco profit Kc48m, Vlcek said. The whole group employed 3,492 people at the end of last year. In the last six months, it hired some 500 people and a further 150 are to be added this year. Four Czech and foreign investors represented by the company’s supervisory board former member and the board of directors current member Ronald Adams took control of Tatra last year. Their company Blue Rivers gained 80.5 percent of the shares from Terex Corporation of the USA for some $26.2m (Kc585m). Autor: CTK
