Chile's Madeco first-half net profit falls 36.5 pct

SANTIAGO, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Chilean copper cable and pipe manufacturer Madeco (MAD.N) MAD.SN said on Friday its net profit fell 36.5 percent in the first half of 2007 compared with the same period a year earlier.

The company, which has subsidiaries in Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Colombia, said profit was 12.975 billion pesos ($24.6 million) in the January-to-June period compared with 20.445 billion pesos in the year-earlier period.

($1=527.30 Chilean pesos at the end of June)

(Reporting by Manuel Farias)