THE HAGUE, Wednesday - Kendrion booked first-quarter net profit up 30 percent from the same year-earlier period at 4.3 million euros. The electromagnetic components producer and plastic foil and pipes trader reported its operating profit rose to 7.4 million euros from 6 million a year earlier.

Sales rose to 154.5 million euros from 138 million. The Automotive Metals division posted organic sales growth of 6 percent. Electromagnetic saw organic sales growth of 14 percent. Operating profit of this unit only rose slightly from the 2006 first quarter, because the year-earlier result was boosted by a one-off gain from the sale of property.

Kendrion expressed satisfaction with all its activities yesterday. It considers it too early to give a definite earnings forecast for the full year.