PT Semen Baturaja Tbk reported a 27 per cent YoY increase in net profit to IDR224.7bn (US$15.3m) in the first eight months of the year, with strong sales growth seen by the publicly-traded state company.

Sales rose by 29 per cent YoY to 925,034t over the period under from review from 714,863t a year earlier. "The income of the companysurged 29 percent to IDR880.1bn from IDR682.3bn," Corporate secretary Zulfikri Subli told Antara news on Tuesday.

Outlook confident
Subli said the company is confident of a better performance during the remainder of the year, with cement demand growing in the southern part of Sumatra. In the Jan-August 2015 period, consumption in the region rose by four per cent YoY. The company's main market is South Sumatra, Lampung, Jambi and Bengkulu, according to Subli.