The wide gap between total national installed cement production capacity and total domestic cement demand will continue to put pressure on Indonesia's cement industry in the foreseeable future. While all local cement manufacturers together are now able to produce a total of 108 million tons of cement per year, domestic cement demand in Indonesia is only expected to reach 68-70 million tons in 2018. Hence, there exists a major oversupply of cement; an oversupply that puts pressure on cement companies' corporate earnings.

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Over the past two years the cement oversupply in Indonesia has become increasingly excessive. Indonesia's total annual installed cement production capacity has now risen to 106.3 million tons, while domestic demand may not exceed 65 million tons in 2017. Moreover, production capacity will rise further this year as Semen Indonesia will open two new plants later this year.

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Indonesian cement producers urge the government to protect the nation's existing cement manufacturers that have invested heavily in expanding production capacity in recent years but are plagued by the combination of weak domestic cement consumption and Indonesia's rising overall cement production capacity. Both factors are the reason behind the oversupply of cement in Southeast Asia's largest economy.

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In May 2017 Indonesia's national cement consumption extended the rise that started in the preceding month supported by a recovery in the property sector and infrastructure development projects. Based on data from the Indonesian Cement Association (ASI), cement demand grew 7 percent year-on-year (y/y) to 5.47 million tons in May. Meanwhile, cement sales rose 4.1 percent (y/y) to 25.26 million tons in the January-May 2017 period.

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Indonesia's largest cement manufacturer, Semen Indonesia, plans to establish two new cement factories - one in Aceh (Sumatra) and one in Kupang (East Nusa Tenggara) - in order to strengthen the company's portfolio and distribution network. Semen Indonesia is currently conducting further studies to determine strategies to realize its plans.

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Cement sales in Indonesia rose 0.2 percent year-on-year (y/y) to 4.54 million tons in February 2017 from 4.54 million tons in the same month one year earlier. This growth pace is considerably below market participants' targets. Weak cement sales in the second month of 2017 are blamed on weather conditions (the high amount of rainfall that caused floods in several parts of Indonesia) and on the fact that direct investment (in infrastructure and property) outside Java remains bleak.

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Domestic cement consumption in Indonesia in full-year 2016 stood at 62 million tons, rather stagnant from cement demand in the preceding year and thus the 65 million tons cement sales target of the Indonesian Cement Association (ASI) in 2016 was not achieved. ASI Chairman Widodo Santoso confirmed that Indonesian cement consumption was not in line with his institution's prediction. Moreover, weak cement sales also indicate that government-led infrastructure development has not been running smoothly yet.

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Cement consumption in Indonesia is expected to rise around 8 percent (y/y) to 68 million tons in 2017 from an estimated 63 million tons this year. This optimistic projection was expressed by Widodo Santoso, Chairman of the Indonesia Cement Association (ASI). Government-led infrastructure projects are believed to be the main pillar of support for next year's rising cement consumption in Southeast Asia's largest economy, particularly the one million houses program as well as other strategic projects.

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Indonesian cement producers request the government not to issue new permits for the construction of cement plants in Indonesia. Such a moratorium should be put in place until at least 2019 as the nation's existing cement producers fear further falling profit due to the structural cement oversupply. Indonesia's total installed cement production capacity has now reached 92 million tons (per year), while domestic cement demand is expected to reach 65 million tons only in full-year 2016.

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Six cement factories with a combined annual production capacity of 13.1 million tons will be ready to start operations in the second half of 2016. These six cement plants are owned by Semen Bosowa, Semen Tiga Roda, Conch Semen, Semen Indonesia (two plants) and Semen Manokwari. Widodo Santoso, Chairman of the Indonesian Cement Association (ASI), said the development of the new plants will create an even larger cement oversupply in Indonesia. Annual national cement production capacity now stands at around 100 million tons, while demand is estimated at 63 million tons in 2016.

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Indonesian cement sales jumped 37.4 percent (year-on-year) to 4.7 million tons in August 2014 due to higher cement demand from Indonesian property and infrastructure developers. Widodo Santoso, Chairman of the Indonesian Cement Association (ASI), said that the development of smelters, power plants, apartments, hotels, and social housing has been key to improved cement sales last month. However, the 37.4 percentage point growth was also caused by fewer working days in August 2013 as the Lebaran holiday fell in that month.

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Indonesian cement sales have slowed and may not achieve the target set for 2014. In the first half of 2014, the country’s domestic cement sales totaled 28.9 million tons, a 3.9 percentage point increase from the same period last year, well below the growth target of 6 percent (year-on-year, yoy). However, this development is no surprise as economic growth of Indonesia has slowed in recent years. Cement sales, a key indicator of construction activity (infrastructure and property development) are closely linked to general GDP growth.

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Indonesian cement sales fell 0.4 percent (year-on-year) to 4.52 million tons in April 2014. The decline in cement sales was the result of the country’s legislative election that was held on 9 April 2014 as consumers bought few building materials during the campaign period. Head of the Indonesian Cement Association (ASI) Widodo Santoso stated that a number of large infrastructure projects are currently being tendered and are thus unable to boost domestic cement sales yet.

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Indonesia's cement sales in January 2014 declined 1 percent to 4.65 million metric tons from the same month in 2013 (4.68 million metric tons). The decline was caused by severe floods brought about by high rainfall amid a peak in Indonesia's rainy season. The floods resulted in disrupted distribution networks, therefore blocking cement shipments to retailers. Moreover, these weather conditions caused the postponement of several construction activities, thus reducing demand for cement.

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According to the Indonesian Cement Association (ASI), cement sales in Indonesia reached 41.6 million tons in the first three quarters of 2013, a 5.3 percent increase compared to domestic cement sales in the same period in 2012 (39.5 million tons), while Indonesia's cement exports jumped by 187 percent to 503 thousand tons. As such, total cement sales from January to September 2013 grew 6.2 percent to 42 million tons. Meanwhile, Semen Indonesia, Indonesia's largest cement producer, managed to expand its market share.

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According to data from the Indonesian Cement Association (ASI), domestic cement sales have fallen 5.8 percent to 3.3 million tons in August 2013 (from the same month last year). Being an important indicator of economic expansion (as cement sales inform about the development of property and infrastructure projects in the country), these lower cement sales confirm the slowing pace of economic growth in Indonesia. Compared to July 2013, cement sales in Indonesia fell by a massive 32 percent.

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Cement sales in Indonesia grew by seven percent to 32.9 million tons in the period January to July 2013. This pace of growth is significantly lower compared to the double-digit cement growth rate last year and thus forms another sign of cooling economic growth in Southeast Asia's largest economy (cement sales are a good indicator to measure the state of economic growth of a country). A slowdown in domestic cement sales is likely to continue in the second half of 2013, partly due to a decline in infrastructure projects.

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Cement consumption in Indonesia increased 8.6 percent to 18.11 million tons in the first four months of 2013. Demand was particularly supported by property and housing projects in the bigger cities of Indonesia. Another pillar of support was found in the development of various infrastructure projects (including those within the framework of the government's ambitious MP3EI plan). The Indonesian Cement Association expects this year's cement consumption in Indonesia to rise to 61 million tons in total.

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