The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer said Monday its order book totalled US$21.6 million at the end of the third quarter of 2008 and delivered 145 aircraft in the first nine months of the year.

In a statement the company announced it had posted growth of 4.3 percent between July and September in its order book.

The Brazilian manufacturer also said that projections were in line with its target to deliver between 195 and 200 aircraft by the end of the year.

Embraer said last week it had sold two aircraft to Mozambican airline LAM in a deal worth US$75 million. The aircraft are due to be delivered in 2009.

The vice president of Embraer for the Commercial Aviation Market, Mauro Kern said that LAM may buy a further two Embraer 190 thus taking the deal to US$150 million.

Embraer is set to build two components factories in Évora, Portugal in a project valued at 170 million euros, which is expected to be in operation in 2009.

In 2003, Embraer created a joint venture with Chinese companies Harbin Aircraft and Hafei Aviation Industry, which are both controlled by China Aviation Industry Corporation II.

Harbin Embraer Aircraft, which is located in Harbin, capital of the province of Heilongjiang, produces aircraft for the Chinese market that are similar to the ones manufactured at the company's headquarters in São José dos Campos, 90 kilometres from Sao Paulo, Brazil.