Australia to dominate Jakarta mining expo

JAKARTA (JP) Australian mining equipment, technology and service suppliers will have the largest presence at the Mining Indonesia '98 exhibition, which will be opened today and run until Saturday at the Jakarta fairgrounds in North Jakarta.

Jenny Lloyd, trade commissioner of the Australian government's trade and facilitation agency, Austrade, said on Wednesday in Jakarta that more than 50 of the around 200 mining equipment, technology and service suppliers that will take part in South East Asia's largest mining exhibition of the year will come from Australia.

Other participants include companies from Canada, the United States and Poland.

Lloyd said that despite the current monetary and political crisis, Australian exhibitors were optimistic about the long-term prospects for the Indonesian mining industry, and were eager to reaffirm their commitment to the market.

"Austrade is urging Australian mining equipment, technology and service suppliers not to let the veil of bad news enveloping Indonesia obscure the substantive business opportunities in markets like the mining sector," she said.

"The presence of such a large gathering of top Australian firms underlines the continuing commitment of the Australian mining industry to Indonesia."

The Australian pavilion at the fair is sponsored by Australian airlines Qantas Airways.

Indonesia is Australia's top market for resource development projects. Indonesia also represents more than one third of Australia's total exports of mining equipment, technology and service suppliers, who exported more to Indonesia in 1997 than to any other country.

Australian embassy data indicates that Australian exports to Indonesia reached A$3.37 billion (US$2.12 billion) in 1997, against A$2.26 billion in imports from Indonesia.

Australia has a large presence in the country's mining sector through companies such as Aberfoyle, Ashton Mining, BHP Minerals, Laverton, Newhope, Newcrest, Normandy Poseidon, Pelsart and Western Mining Corporation.

The mining exhibition will be held concurrently with the Mining Indonesia '98 Conference, which will feature Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry Ginandjar Kartasasmita and Minister of Mines and Energy Kuntoro Mangkusubroto as keynote speakers. (jsk)