Asia's Pulp & Paper 3Q pulp output up 5%

Asia's Pulp & Paper 3Q pulp output up 5%

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones): Singapore's Asia Pulp & Paper Co. produced 613,000 metric tons of pulp during the third quarter of this year, up almost 5 percent from 584,000 metric tons on year, according to preliminary figures provided in a company press release late Thursday.

During the third quarter, APP's Indonesian subsidiary PT Indah Kiat Pulp & Paper Corp. produced 468,000 tons of pulp, while another APP Indonesian subsidiary, PT Lontar Papyrus Pulp & Paper Industry produced 145,000 tons.

These figures bring APP's pulp production for the first nine months this year to 1.76 million tons.

In 1999, APP's total pulp production reached 2.203 million tons, with Indah Kiat contributing 1.7 million tons and Lontar Papyrus 503,000 tons.

APP's paper production for the third quarter this year jumped by 45 percent to 835,000 tons from 575,000 tons in 1999's third quarter as its two China paper manufacturing plants went on line only this year, said an APP spokesman.

PT Pabrik Kertas Tjiwi Kimia produced 244,000 tons of paper in 2000's third quarter, PT Pindo Deli 167,000 tons and Indah Kiat 158,000 tons. APP's China-based paper plants, Gold East and Gold Hua Sheng, produced 216,000 tons and 50,000 tons of paper respectively in the same period.

These figures bring APP's total paper production for the first nine months this year to 2.48 million tons.

APP is one of the world's ten largest pulp and paper companies. Its current annual pulp capacity stands at 2.3 million tons, while its paper and packaging capacity is at 5.7 million tons.

Based in Singapore, the company has 17 manufacturing facilities in Indonesia, China, Singapore and India, and markets its products in more than 65 countries.