Saudi Arabia’s Yamamah Cement Co said that the company’s net income rose 9.3 per cent to $46.3m in the first three months of 2007 compared to $43.9m in the same period of 2006.

The officials pointed out that the company’s operating profits rose 13.4 per cent to $28.4m, attributing the increase to higher sales during the first three months of 2007, as demand on the company’s products rose on real estate projects.

It is worth noting that Yamamah commands about 13 per cent share of cement sales in Saudi Arabia, the Arab world’s largest economy, where multi-billion dollar infrastructure and real estate projects are boosting demand for cement.