Saudi cement producer Southern Province Cement (SPC) posted a net profit of 439 mln Saudi riyals ($117.1m) for the first nine months of 2004, up from 386.5 mln riyals ($103.1m) in the same period of 2003.  SPC’s gross profit stood at 458.1 mln riyals ($122.2m), up 10.6 per cent year-on-year, while operating expenses decreased 7.3 per cent to 19.6 mln riyals ($5.2m).