State-owned cement producer PT Semen Padang’s sales in this year’s first quarter reached 2.43Mt, or 5.92 per cent higher than the target of 2.3Mt. While the first half production reached 2.45Mt from a target of 2.32Mt. 
 
The firm’s marketing director Widodo said that the production increase would be able to fulfill 50 per cent of the market demand on Sumatra island, which is about 6.1Mta. Semen Padang’s annual production is about 5.1Mt.  
 
The firm plans to expand its market to Banten, Jakarta and West Java, which account for a total demand of 12Mta.  Semen Padang, a subsidiary of Semen Gresik, says it will build a distribution terminal in Banten to help the plan materialise.