Russian mobile crane manufacturer Avtokran increased its production to 1,200 truck-mounted cranes in 2001 from 818 in 2000. Production is being stepped up further this year to produce 1,309 units.

The company’s financial circumstances remain difficult, however. The press service at the Independent Association of Machine-builders (NAMS), of which Avtokran is part, said the company’s annual shareholders meeting decided that no dividends would be paid this year after the company made a net loss of 13 million roubles.. No dividends were paid last year either, when the company lost 24 million roubles.

The press service reported that net losses last year weighed in at 13.465 million rubles last year against 24 million roubles the year before.

The company’s main shareholders, each of which hold no more than 10% of the stock, include Nams-Komplekt and Trading House Apeks, both of which are based in Moscow, and United Venture Capital Ltd of the UK.