Sorini Group produces sorbitol

SURABAYA, East Java (JP): Two subsidiaries of the publicly- listed PT Sorini Corporation Indonesia -- PT Sorini Towa Berlian Corporation and PT Saritanam Pratama -- inaugurated their commercial production of sorbitol in a ceremony here.

Sorini Towa Berlian has an annual production capacity of 38,000 tons of sorbitol liquid and 7,000 tons of sorbitol powder, while Saritanam Pratama's annual production capacity is 30,000 tons of cassava powder.

Cassava powder is the raw material for the production of sorbitol which, in turn, is used in the manufacture of sweets, bread, cakes and toothpastes.

Sorini Towa Berlian was set up with capital of US$30 million, of which 50.1 percent is owned by Sorini Corporation Indonesia, 30 percent by Towa Chemical Industry of Japan and the remaining 19.9 percent by Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan.

The shares of Saritanam Pratama, established with capital of Rp 12 billion ($5 million), are 70 percent owned by Sorini Corporation Indonesia and 30 percent by PT Aneka Kimia Raya.

The president of Sorini Towa Berlian, Haryanto Adikoesoemo, said his firm is the most technologically advanced producer of sorbitol in the Asia-Pacific outside Japan.

Director General of Chemical and Agricultural Industries Suyata said at Tuesday's ceremony that current production of sorbitol runs at around 60,000 tons per year in Indonesia.

The other two producers of sorbitol in Indonesia are PT Sama Staria Pasifik and PT Budi Kimia Raya with annual production capacities of 3,000 tons and 7,000 tons, respectively.

"Indonesia's total annual production of sorbitol will increase by 68 percent to 101,000 tons at the end of this year," said Suyata, adding that the domestic demand is only about 18,000 tons per year.

"Japan imposes a 30 percent duty on imports of more than 8,000 tons of sorbitol, while China and Thailand protect their industries with a 20 percent tariff," Suyata added. (15/kod)