Hyundai Doosan Infracore enjoys brisk sales in S. America

By Nam Kwang-sik

SEOUL, Oct. 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korean construction equipment maker Hyundai Doosan Infracore Co. said Tuesday it has won orders for 138 units of construction equipment from South America.

Under a deal with Chilean wood maker Arauco, Hyundai Doosan Infracore will provide 60 excavators, the company said in an emailed statement.

Another deal with Chile's major mining and construction company Besalco calls for Hyundai Doosan Infracore to ship 28 units of construction equipment, including excavators and wheel loaders.

Hyundai Doosan Infracore has also signed a deal with Colombian construction equipment rental company SK Rental Colombia to supply a total of 50 units of construction machinery, including excavators and wheel loaders.

But the company did not reveal the combined value of the deals.

Hyundai Doosan Infracore predicts its annual sales in South America to rise 82 percent this year, compared with a year ago, as the construction equipment market there is expected to grow 47 percent on-year to 27,000 units, it said.

Hyundai Doosan Infracore Co. posted 45.9 billion won (US$39 million) in net income in the July-September period, down 44.1 percent from a profit of 82.1 billion won in the same period a year ago.

The sluggish earnings were attributable to its faltering sales in its main market China.

To cope with its weak sales in the Chinese construction equipment market, Hyundai Doosan Infracore has been pushing ahead with its plan to diversify its market to emerging countries, including in South America, Europe and North America.

ksnam@yna.co.kr
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