Russia's top aluminum producer OAO Rusal said Tuesday that production edged up 2 percent in 2006 to 2.77 million tons, while revenue jumped 23 percent to $8.18 billion as prices for the metal soared.
Rusal, owned by billionaire businessman Oleg Deripaska, is not a publicly traded company and does not break out net profits.
Rusal is waiting for clearance from Russian and international regulators to close a deal that would see it acquire local rival Sual and units of Swiss based metals trader Glencore - creating a global giant with smelters and refineries across Russia and facilities on four continents.
The new company would be the world's largest aluminum producer - with nearly 4 million tons of aluminum per year, or about 12 percent of global output.
In a statement, the company said that Europe remained its largest market with 33.5 percent of sales and that exports to Asia have significantly increased, now accounting for 26 percent.
The company said alumina production remained flat at 3.93 million tons, while bauxite output rose 39 percent to 7.37 million tons.