PT Semen Batam is conducting trials to produce 4000tpd of cement to be marketed on domestic level.  The company, which was established in 2002 and has a market orientation for export, is an affiliate of Bosowa cement business group from Makassar.  
 
Project Manager of PT Semen Batam, Taufik Munier Day, notes that Semen Batam ( a grinding operation) tried to produce cement for domestic consumption in Batam, Palembang, and Pontianak.   He continued that domestic needs for cement at the moment were still high.  
 
For Batam alone, he added, the company had to supply around 8000t of cement per month, followed by 6000t for Palembang and 1500t for Pontianak.  
 
Since its establishment in 2002, PT Semen Batam has just been scheduled recently to start production and operate normally by the end of the year.  
 
Taufik explained that most of the raw material were brought from Makassar and ground in Batam before the cement was packaged using the brand of Batam Semen.  
 
To support inter-island shipments, PT Semen Batam is reportedly going to build a pier with a capacity of 30,000t.