UPDATE 1-Renishaw profit triples; order book strong for new year

* Raises total dividend by 127 pct to 17.6p

* Says confident of future growth

* Order book more than double at start of new year (Adds details)

July 28 (Reuters) - British precision engineer Renishaw (RSW.L) posted a threefold rise in full-year adjusted pretax profit, helped by strong growth in the Far East, and said it started the new year with a record order book.

The company, which makes measuring and calibration equipment used in engineering, dentistry and neurosurgery, said it would pay a final dividend of 13.6 pence, amounting to a total dividend of 17.6 pence, up from 7.76 pence in 2009.

Shares in Renishaw were up nearly 6 percent at 856.5 pence at 0710 GMT on Wednesday on the London Stock Exchange.

At the start of the new year, its order book stood at 23.3 million pounds ($36.3 million), compared with 9.7 million pounds a year ago.

"Our particular optimism for further developments in the expanding range of healthcare offerings, together with our continued investment in new products in our traditional markets, underpins our confidence in future growth," Chief Executive David McMurtry said in a statement.

For the year to end-June, the company reported an adjusted pretax profit of 28.7 million pounds, compared with 8.8 million pounds a year ago.

Revenue rose 6 percent to 181.6 million pounds.

Renishaw, whose rivals include Carl Zeiss (AFXG.DE) and Wenzel (WZL.TO), ended the year with 31.1 million pounds in net cash balances compared with 20.5 million pounds last year.

However, the deficit in its pension fund rose nearly 66 percent to to 37.3 million pounds due to significantly lower discount rates and increasing life expectancy of members. ($1=.6413 Pound) (Reporting by Aditi Samajpati in Bangalore; Editing by Jarshad Kakkrakandy)