Posted on 19 Dec 2007
Indonesia's Nov cement sales up 3.5 percent per year
Indonesia's
domestic cement consumption rose 3.5 percent in November from a year ago
period, helped by strong sales in regions outside Java, data from the cement
industry association showed on Wednesday.
The data, provided by Indonesia's largest cement
producer, PT Semen Gresik Tbk SMGR.JK, also showed Gresik's own cement sales
fell by 0.5 percent from the same month in 2006 to 1.46 million tonnes.
The company expects cement demand to increase to 35 million
tonnes next year from an estimated 33-34 million this year, fuelled by more
infrastructure projects as Southeast Asia's largest economy invests heavily in
toll roads, ports, airports and power plants in an effort to boost economic
growth.
November's consumption figure took cement demand to about 31
million tonnes in the January-November period, up 6.7 percent from the same
period last year.
Gresik's sales, however, slowed by 6.8 percent to 6.7
million tonnes in the period, largely due to a weaker sales performance in
Java, the country's main cement market.
Indonesia's
industry ministry has estimated cement demand will increase 8 percent next
year, as the industry rebounds from a slowdown in 2006 when it was hit by a
rise in interest rates and inflation. (Reporting by Harry Suhartono, writing by
Andreas Ismar, editing by Ed Davies)
