TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:PT Semen Gresik (SMGR) plans to build a cement plant in Myanmar. The country has significant potential because the local industry has only been able to fulfill half of the national cement need. “Myanmar needs 6 – 10 million tons of cement every year,” said SMGR’s finance director Ahyanizzaman last weekend. The plan is still in the initial calculation stages. Ahyanizzaman said the plant would have 2.5 million tons of annual capacity. Investment for the plant construction is estimated to reach US$150-$200 for each ton produced. “The plant’s capacity is adjusted to the market there to prevent surplus,” he said. Ahyanizzaman said it would be possible to increase capacity according to demand. If there is surplus, the production will be distributed to eastern Sumatra. “The economic value is the main consideration in the plant construction,” he said. He said SMGR’s technology was more advanced than Myanmar’s cement plant. SMGR applies dry processing technology, while local producers still use wet processing technology. The State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) Ministry’s infrastructure and logistic deputy, Sumaryanto Widayatin, said he supported the plan. He also said that other SOEs, such as PT Wijaya Karya (WIKA), PT Pertamina and PT Bank Negara Indonesia (BBNI), would also do business in Myanmar. ANGGRITA DESYANI