Gresik expects 15% rise, Indonesia

Indonesia’s biggest cement maker, PT Semen Gresik Tbk, saidits consolidated cement sales were expected to rise more than 15 per cent in 2004, after easing 3.2 per cent last year due to lower exports.

“Sales volume this year will be good, and should grow above 15 percent at the consolidated level. But Gresik itself could increase close to 20 percent," company president Satriyo told reporters. He did not give reasons for the sharp rise.

Gresik, with units PT Semen Padang and PT Semen Tonasa, sold 14.03 million tonnes of cement in 2003. National cement sales grew only one percent to 27.5 million tonnes last year hurt by rises in fuel and utility prices.
Some analysts have forecast domestic cement sales will rise eight percent this year, helped by projects and other spending linked to the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections.

Cement companies sold 6.6Mt in the first four months of this year in the domestic market, up 10.2 per cent from the same period in 2003.