Indonesian steel producers to raise exports
21/8/2008 18:10
Indonesia's major steel manufacturers plan to increase their exports for
the next three months to compensate for decreased local demand in the period
surrounding the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan and Idul Fitri, the Jakarta
Post reported in Jakarta today.
Krakatau Steel Inc.'s marketing director
Irvan K. Hakim said the state steel maker, along with Essar Indonesia inc., and
privately-owned Gunung Garuda Steel Group, were raising exports this month
through to October.
"The domestic market slows down during the three-month
period as the country is welcoming the fasting month and Idul Fitri," he
said.
"It's impossible for us to lower our productions during the period.
Therefore, we are turning to exports," said Hakim.
During the period,
Krakatau will increase its exports from 10, 000 tons per month to 20,000 tons
per month; Essar from 5,000 tons to 9,000 tons; and Gunung Garuda from 35,000
tons to 40,000 tons, according to Hakim.
The three companies' main export
markets include Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Krakatau annually
produces two million tons of hot roll coils, 85,000 tons of cold roll coils,
450,000 tons of wire rods, 300,000 tons of steel bars and 200,000 tons of steel
pipes, according to Hakim.
Essar manufactures 400,000 tons of cold roll coils
per year, Trivedi said, while, according to Sujono, Gunung Garuda yields 700,
000 tons of hot roll coils and 500,000 tons of long steel products, including
H-beams, per year.
Xinhua
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