Minister of Industry: Cement Industry Mainstay of National Economy

INDUSTRY.co.id - Padang - Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartarto convey the cement industry is one of the mainstay of the support of the national economy because the basis of physical development is cement and steel.

"In the last three years there has been a tremendous expansion of the cement industry, resulting in excess production capacity," said Airlangga Minister in Padang on Saturday (8/26/2017) during a visit to PT Semen Padang received by President Director Benny Wendry.

According to him, indeed in recent years quite a lot of new players appear in the field of cement that was previously dominated by Semen Indonesia group.

"With the advent of new players proving the competitiveness of the cement industry is stronger ranging from local to regional," he said.

He said the current government encourages the construction of various infrastructures so that the cement industry is expected to take this opportunity.

On the other hand, it encourages the industry to create downstream or advanced process of cement products carried out by state-owned enterprises engaged in the field of works.

Then he encourages efficiency in terms of production costs such as using electricity from the power plant itself that comes from coal energy.

"Please note that the electricity cement plant from PLN will be more expensive 20 percent than the generators themselves," he said.

He said one of the challenges of the cement industry today is how to operate more efficiently especially now that there is no prohibition to open a new factory.

"Thus the cement industry does not need much more protection from the government," he said.

On that occasion Airlangga appreciate PT Semen Padang because the environment is quite green and several times received a proper green award.

Meanwhile, PT Semen Padang President Director Benny Wendry said that production performance in the first half of 2017 for clinker production reached 2.83 million tons or 101.8 percent of RKAP with 3.12 million tons of cement production.

"Sales performance until June 2017 reached 3.27 million tons or 94.45 percent of RKAP," he said.

He conveys Semen Padang continues to make optimization and efficiency in supporting the company's performance and improve the competitiveness in the market so that the sales could be maximum.