State cement maker PT Semen Padang said on Wednesday its net profit in 2006 rose 33.39 per cent to Rp242.6bn from a year earlier on higher demand for its product. 

 Semen Padang produced 5.3Mt of cement last year, surpassing the production target of 5.1Mt, the company’s president director, E Irzal, said.

Compared to 2005, the production in 2006 represented a 3.9 per cent increase. The company has set itself the target of selling Rp3 trillion worth of cement this year.