Sampoerna adds new machines

JAKARTA (JP): Publicly listed cigarette producer PT HM Sampoerna said on Thursday it would add three more twin-wrap machines this year for its A-Mild brand production line.

Marketing director Surja S. Handoko said only the company's A International, A King and Dji Sam Soe Filter previously used the twin-wrap procedure.

"With the additional three machines, we will have a total of eight twin-wrap machines this year," Surja said, adding that each had a capacity of 5,500 cigarettes per minute.

Although unable to give an exact figure, Surja said the company's investment totaled millions of U.S. dollars because the raw materials were from North American and Scandinavian woods and imported following processing in France.

He said Sampoerna was the first cigarette producer in the world to apply the technology, which was developed in Germany. He claimed cigarettes processed with twin-wrap machines tasted better. (nur/bkm)