Jakarta (Antara Bali) - State-owned gas distributor firm PT PGN signed cooperation agreements on the use of natural gas with three ceramic companies on Thursday.
PGN Exploitation Director Jobi Triananda Hasjim said the cooperation with three companies was established to reinforce the competitiveness of industries, ceramic industries in particular, at home.
"We are consistent in supporting domestic industries particularly in the face of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) which will begin to be implemented at the end of this year," he said.
The cooperation agreements were signed on the sidelines of a ceramic exhibition at the Jakarta Convention Center.
The agreements included amendment agreements on the sale-purchase of gas with PT Platinum Ceramics, PT Sinar Karya Duta Abadi and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on gas distribution with PT Jui Shin Indonesia.
Jobi said that up to the end of 2014, the number of PGN customers in the industrial sector reached 796 with a total volume of more than 940 million cubic meters.
PGN will continue to boost the use of gas by various segments in the country such as industries, commercial companies, small and medium enterprises (SME) and households.
Currently, PGN is operating some 6,000 kilometers of gas transmission pipelines with gas distribution to consumers of about 23 million equal liters per day.
Earlier, Industry Minister Saleh Husin officially opened the Fourth Ceramic Expo 2015, which is scheduled to be held from March 19 to 22, at the Jakarta Convention Center on Thursday.
"I consider this exhibition important and strategic because it promotes Indonesian ceramics at the national and international levels," the minister said in his opening remarks here on Thursday.
He believes that Indonesian ceramics are globally competitive because they are of good quality and innovative.
The national ceramic industry has been developing well over the last 30 years and has become a prime industry supported by abundant materials, according to Husin.
"The national ceramic industry has been able to meet domestic demand and has the potential to be further developed because per capita ceramic consumption is still low," he pointed out.
The per capita consumption of Indonesian ceramics is about one square meter, while it is above two square meters in other ASEAN member nations.
Moreover, he urged ceramic producers to make use of the country's huge market.
Chairperson of the Indonesian Ceramic Industry Association (ASAKI) Elisa stated that the expo was aimed at promoting Indonesian ceramics nationally and globally.
As many as 61 ceramic producers, 5 percent of which are foreigners, are participating in the event. (WDY)
