PTA firm expands capacity

JAKARTA (JP): PT Bakrie Kasei Corporation has doubled its production capacity of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) to 600,000 tons per annum, from 300,000 tons.

The company said yesterday that it had just completed the construction of its second PTA plant in Serang, West Java, for a total cost of US$210 million.

The plant, with a capacity of 300,000 tons per annum, will begin commercial production later this month.

Bakrie Kasei is 51 percent owned by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation of Japan, 20 percent by PT Bakrie & Brothers, 19 percent by Japan Asia Investment Co. Ltd. and 10 percent by International Finance Corporation, an affiliate of the World Bank.

Meanwhile, PT Bakrie Diafoil, a joint venture between Bakrie Kasei and Diafoil Hoechst Co. Ltd. of Germany, has also finished constructing its polyester film plant in Serang.

The plant, with a production capacity of 4,200 tons of polyester film per annum, will start its commercial production later this month. (rid)