SKF's 1Q Sales Rise 9 Percent

First-quarter 2008 sale for SKF rose 8.5 percent to $2.65 billion, compared with $2.44 billion during the same period last year.

Net profits for the Swedish bearings maker rose 6.8 percent to $219.9 million, compared with $206 million during the first quarter of 2007.

SKF said it expects demand to increase in Europe during the second quarter but to stay flat in North America and significantly higher in Asia and Latin America.