Russia VSMPO cuts 2008 titanium sales by 7 pct

YEKATERINBURG, Russia, May 20 (Reuters) - Russia's VSMPO-Avisma (VSMO.MM: Quote, Profile, Research), the world's top titanium maker, cut sales by 7 percent to 25,620 tonnes last year from 27,540 tonnes in 2007 on lower demand, the company said in a report.

The report, seen by Reuters on Wednesday, said the sales fell on 27.2 percent fewer orders for titanium products from Russian aircraft makers and firms from the Commonwealth of Independent states of the former Soviet Union.

But VSMPO managed to raise exports last year to 19,934 tonnes from 19,720 tonnes in 2007.

Lower demand was also caused by an increase in output by other titanium producers, delays in the start of production of new aircraft and the world economic crisis.

VSMPO-Avisma, located in the Ural mountains exports some 70 percent of its output and has major aircraft firms, including Boeing (BA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Airbus (EAD.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) among its clients. (Reporting by Natalya Shurmina, writing by Aleksandras Budrys; Editing by Keiron Henderson)