Monday, 29 June 2015

COMPETITIVENESS OF PULP & PAPER INDUSTRY NEEDS TO BE IMRPOVED



The Ministry of Industry continues to develop national pulp and paper industry in order to maintain competitive in facing free trade. This is in line with the goal of industrial development by strengthening industrial structure that produces high value-added products which are globally competitive and environmentally sound.

“It is expected that the industrial sector, especially the pulp and paper industry, which a competitive advantage, can be instrumental in mobilizing the national development,” said Minister of Industry. There should b an application of industry standard that focuses on the efficiency of raw materials, water and energy, energy diversification, eco-design and low-carbon technologies with the goal of increasing productivity and minimizing waste.

Industry Minister Saleh Husin inaugurated Ground Breaking Paper Machine 3 of PT. Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP) with an investment of IDR 4 trillion in Pelelawan, Riau, on Friday (May 22). The construction of Paper Machine 3 makes PT RAPP as national paper company that produces paper at a speed of 1.4km per minute so that there will be additional capacity of 250 thousand tons/year in the form of high-grade digital paper.

“I welcome the Ground Breaking Paper machine 3 which will increase the volume and speed of production of PT RAPP which will help encourage growth of the national pulp and paper industry in the in the future, “said the Minister of industry.

The minister also appreciates PT. RAPP that has given a broad multiplier effect by contributing in the creation of jobs for more than 5,000 direct workers and 90 thousand indirect workers. Additionally, PT. RAPP is one of the largest pulp and paper producers nationally with a production capacity of 2.8 million tons of pulp and 829 thousand tons of paper having international standards and can compete in the global arena.

It is expected that the establishment of the Ground Breaking Paper Machine 3 will be completed with a maximum contribution in meeting the demand for pulp and paper both by the domestic and export markets. Indonesia is one of the leading pulp and paper producers in the world, where pulp industry ranked the 9th and the paper industry in the 6th position. Meanwhile, in Asia, it ranked 3rd for the national pulp and paper industry.

Currently the installed capacity of national pulp paper industry reached 7.93 million tons/year of pulp and 12.98 million tons/year of paper with actual production of 6.4 million tons/year of pulp and 10.4 tons/year of paper, while the export performance of pulp and paper reached 3.50 million tons of paper with a value of USD 3.75 billion. While imports of pulp and paper reached 1.62 million tons of pulp with a value USD 1.27 billion and 0.72 million tons of paper with a value of USD 1.36 billion.

After inaugurating the Ground Breaking Paper Machine 3 of PT RAPP, Minister of industry also witnessed the launching of From Zero to Hero Series: SMEs Appreciation Day and at the same time visiting the small and medium industries developed by PT. RAPP. The launch of the program is a manifestation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) of PT RAPP. “People’s economy-based activity is expected to create a productive society and to encourage the independence of the community around the location of the company,” he explained. (E)

Business News - May 27, 2015

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