LG Electronics achieved a rare triple-crown last year as it posted remarkable figures in sales, sales volume and operating profit for its mobile phone business.

According to Strategy Analytics, a global tech research and consulting firm, LG sold 180 million mobile phones in 2008, up more than 25 percent from a year earlier. This is the first time the company’s global sales volume has exceeded the 100 million mark, thanks largely to growing sales in North America and Europe.

The world’s no. 1 mobile supplier Nokia sold over 468 million handsets, followed by Samsung Electronics 197 million. Sony Ericsson sold fewer than 100 million, and Motorola managed around 97 million.

LG and Samsung were the only two companies that managed to sustain double-digit growth in spite of sluggish consumption globally. The rest either saw their sales contract or rise in single digits.

The good year meant Korea’s no. 2 tech giant rose from fifth to third mobile phone seller worldwide, leapfrogging Sony and Motorola. Sales reached more than US$10 billion. Operating profit was $1.5 billion, up 62 percent from 2007. LG says it is concentrating marketing efforts on emerging economies such as India, Russia and the Middle East. Meanwhile, its perennial archrival Samsung said it sold more than 10 million of its J700 phones this month, 11 months of launching it. The phone is the company’s fifth 10 million seller.

[Thanks: http://english.chosun.com]