SBI Records Increased Sales Volume In This Segment

Photo: Doc. Antara

JAKARTA - PT Solusi Bangun Indonesia Tbk (SBI) recorded an increase in sales volume of the cement and terak segments in 2023 by 3.66 percent to 13.86 million tons compared to 2022 in the midst of market conditions affected by geopolitical and inflationary situations.

President Director of SBI, Lilik Unggul Raharjo in a written statement, quoted from Antara, Monday, March 11, said that to get around the challenges in competitive market conditions and cost pressures due to rising prices of raw materials and energy, various innovation, efficiency and synergy programs with the parent company PT Semen Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (SIG) were carried out by SBI.

This synergy allows the company to maintain a positive performance with an increase in net profit of 6.67 percent to IDR 895 billion compared to 2022. "The increase in domestic cement demand by 3.5 percent in 2023 shows that there is a growth opportunity for the cement industry in 2024. To take advantage of this opportunity, SBI will continue to focus on strengthening synergies with GIS and Taiheiyo Cement Corporation (TCC) as our strategic partners, as well as encouraging more innovation for efficiency and agility," he said, quoted from Antara.

He said the strategic steps taken by SBI for decarbonization were increasingly intense, including by producing low-carbon cement, increasing consumption of alternative fuels, installation of solar panels and hydrogen injection, as well as implementation of advanced processes control (APC) for optimization and efficiency of resources in operations in cement factories.

"There is no other way but to continue to innovate, especially around energy that is not only expensive, but also affects the sustainability of the resources on the earth that we live in. While achieving more efficient operations, this initiative contributes to the decarbonization that we have launched in the sustainability road map to support collective efforts to reduce the impact of global warming," he said.

He said, although global economic growth is still in a slowing trend due to uncertainty from the geopolitical situation and volatility of commodity prices, Indonesia's economic growth projection in 2024 remains strong in the range of 5 percent and is expected to contribute to increasing industrial growth, including building materials, as happened in 2023.

"Indonesia still has 12.7 million units of supporting backlog that have not been fulfilled. Policies or stimulants from the government can make it easier for people to own houses and help absorb better building materials production capacity. However, it is not enough to stop there, we also need government support so that development can be carried out in a sustainable manner. How can people use more environmentally friendly products, infrastructure construction and supporting facilities can be built more environmentally friendly," he said.