Eramet sales rise, sees Indonesian nickel growth

PARIS, Jan 31 (Reuters) - French metals group Eramet (ERMT.PA: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said on Thursday its annual turnover for 2007 was up 24.1 percent to 3.8 billion euros ($5.63 billion), above an average analyst expectation of 3.66 billion.

It said it had very strong growth in the fourth quarter of 30.5 percent, with a 53.2 percent increase in turnover at Eramet Manganese.

Given the anticipated demand for the products of its three divisions, Eramet said the outlook for growth in the first half of 2008 was positive.

It added that progress had been made with the Eramet Nickel project at Weda Bay in Indonesia. Eramet expects to double its scale in nickel from 2013, with targeted local production capacity of 60,000 tonnes, almost equal to the current production of Eramet Nickel in New Caledonia. (Reporting by Marcel Michelson; Editing by Paul Bolding)