Bohumin, 30th January 2008 - The company BONATRANS GROUP a.s. of Bohumin, Czech Republic, the member if the investment group KKCG, reached sales of more than 4.6 million Koruna (€167 mil.). The biggest European wheelset producer raised annual sales by 17% compared to 2006. The considerable growth of sales was enabled by growth of production in all important product segments, i.e. wheels, wheelsets and axles. Absolute majority of BONATRANS GROUP production is exported to over 70 countries worldwide. The company invested 260 mil. Koruna in modernization of machinery (€9.5 mil).

The success of BONATRANS GROUP a.s. in 2007 was based on development of railway transport and on high quality of its products. The company sales reached 4.6 million Koruna while the 2006 sales were 3.9 mil. Koruna, which represents year-to-year growth of 17%. As Mr. Vaclav Paprok, the Financial Director, says the growth of sales is based mainly on increase of production: “We managed to increase production in all important product segments, such as wheelsets, machined wheels, machined axles and rough axles.”

The company spent also considerable funds on modernization of machinery. Refurbishment of axle heating furnaces and extension of inspection and dispatch hall were among the most significant investment activities. The company invested 260 mil. Koruna in total.

According to Mr. Paprok the investments will not decrease in 2008: “We will focus on the axle line this year and we will also put new machining centres in operation. In total we intend to invest over 300 mil. Koruna in 2008.”