PARIS (REUTERS) - Airbus increased its deliveries in 2014, setting a new company record, a source at the European planemaker said on Tuesday.

The Airbus Group subsidiary beat the previous 2013 peak of 626 deliveries but is expected to remain in second place in delivery rankings behind US rival Boeing, which is due to issue annual data later on Tuesday.

The source also said the European company is expecting "one of the best years ever for Airbus" in orders, but it remained unclear whether this would be enough to close a gap with Boeing on winning new business in the first 11 months of the year.

In 2013, Airbus won a record of 1,503 net orders after adjusting for cancellations, but lagged on deliveries.

An Airbus spokesman declined to comment on orders or deliveries ahead of an annual news conference on Jan 13.

Airbus is officially targeting "about the same" level of deliveries as in 2013 and is already guaranteed to reach its objective of winning net orders that exceed deliveries.