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.