Base metal exports increase threefold

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 11/29/2011 7:53 PM

The Industry Ministry reported on Tuesday a nearly three-fold increase in the value of base-metal exports this year, to an estimated US$30 million by year end.

“The exports have increased three-fold compared with last year,” ministry director general for manufacturing-based industry Panggah Susanto said in Jakarta, as quoted by tempo.co.

He said in 2010, the figure stood at $10.8 million.

Panggah said the rise was in line with a recorded 18 percent growth in Indonesia's base-metal industry, partly spurred by increasing demand for crude steel domestically.

He said the domestic need for crude steel was a total of 10 million tons per year on average but that the 313 crude-steel manufacturers in the country could only produce 9.8 million tons annually.

This resulted in continued imports of crude steel, although the amount had decreased, especially because some Chinese steel companies had shifted their investment to Indonesia, Panggah said.

He added that at least 10 new steel manufacturers were expected to start operating this year.

Govt to increase road tolls in September

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 03/09/2011 10:36 AM | Business

The government is planning to increase toll road fees in September, Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto said Tuesday.
Djoko declined to comment on the amount of the increase, saying this was still being discussed.
He added that the road tolls were increased every two years, in line with the national inflation rate.
He also said the government would not delay increasing road tolls unless toll road operators failed to meet standard minimum levels of service.
“Unless there is a change, the government will increase toll rates in September,” Djoko said, as quoted by kompas.com.

RI targets 58% increase in seaweed exports

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 02/04/2011 9:24 PM | Business

Indonesia is aiming to boost its seaweed exports by 58 percent to 180,000 tons this year – expecting to earn revenues of US$190 million.

Indonesia secured $138 million from exporting 114,000 tons of seaweeds in 2010.

Secretary to the director general for fishery processing and marketing at the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, Victor Nikijuluw, said Friday the government was optimistic about the export target because global demand for seaweed was increasing.

He cited as an example how China alone now had 600 factories processing seaweed, adding, “Last year we supplied 85 percent of China’s seaweed needs.”

Victor also said Indonesia could displace the market share presently held by Latin American countries because their production is presently down due to the impacts of La Nina.  

The country’s seaweed capacity is expanding, with 2010 production volume reaching 3.08 million tons, exceeding the previous target of 2.6 million tons.

Indonesia is targeting to produce up to 3.5 million tons of seaweed in 2011.

“With the increase in our production volumes, we’re optimistic the exports will increase as well,” Victor said, as quoted by kontan.co.id.

PT PP targets 23 percent increase in profits

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 12/27/2010 2:17 PM | Business

Pembangunan Perumahan (PT PP), a publicly listed state firm, aims to book Rp 3.7 trillion worth of contracts in December, bringing its overall total for new contracts in 2010 to Rp 11.5 trillion.

PT PP president director Musyanif said in a statement released Monday that the firm had signed several new contracts in December, including an Attorney Building in Ceger, Jakarta; a 12-kilometer road in East Kalimantan worth Rp 78 billion; the Hotel Natour in Kuta, Bali, worth Rp 158 billion; and other buildings, bridges, toll roads and power plant projects.

“We hope the new contracts will help increase the company’s 2010 revenue and carry over for 2011,” Musyanif said.

With the latest contracts, PT PP has targeted a full-year revenue of Rp 4.5 trillion and a carry over of Rp 6 trillion for 2011. The firm’s net profits are expected to reach Rp 201 billion this year, up 23.3 percent compared to 2009.

“Contracts and revenue composition are still dominated by projects offers from the government and State-Owned Enterprises Ministry,” he said.

Shares in PT PP soared following the announcement, trading at Rp 760 apiece during the Indonesia Stock Exchange’s noon break, up 20 points, or 2.7 percent. PT PP has a total market capitalization of about Rp 3.7 trillion.

Established in 1953, PT PP is among the most renowned construction firms in Indonesia, and was responsible for such historic projects as Hotel Indonesia, the House of Representatives Building, Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya, East Java, and several other skyscrapers in the Jakarta CBD. (est)