Holcim expects its sales growth in the Asia-Pacific region to climb to around 25 per cent in 2007 from an estimated rate of 13 per cent this year, thanks to increasing cement demand and the company’s regional expansion plan, Chief Executive Markus Akermann told reporters Tuesday. Holcim, one of the world’s second-largest cement producer by sales, is looking to increase investment in China, India and Vietnam as cement demand in these countries is expected to rise substantially, Akermann said during his visit to Bangkok. 
 
Akermann said Holcim has no current plan to increase its presence in Thailand, adding that cement sales in Thailand and the Philippines have slowed in March and April due to political tensions in the two countries.  Despite escalating oil prices, fuel costs rose only slightly to just over 10 per cent of total cement production costs from around 8-10 per cent previously, due to the company’s moves to increase alternative-fuel usage, Akermann said. 
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