Australia?s Leighton says Indonesia top Asian business contributor

Australian top engineering and construction firm Leighton Holdings Limited said on Wednesday that Indonesia remained the largest Asian contributor for its business and the recent award of Indonesian mining contract had significantly boosted work in hand.

Last year, its Indonesian unit Thiess Contractors Indonesia (TCI) was awarded a-life-of-mine extension at Kaltim Prima Coal, worth A$860 million over five years, which will increase TCI?s production to 12 million tons per annum.

In addition, TCI has extended its alliance contract for the operations and expansion of Arutmin Indonesia?s Satui and Senakin mines to a-life-of-mine-contract, which added another $1 billion to TCI?s work in hand.

Both KPC and Arutmin are subsidiaries of Bumi Resources listed on the Jakarta Stock Exchange.

Leighton's other unit Leighton Asia (Southern) has also bagged a $116 million contract to mine, remove overburden, transport coal and maintain overhaul roads at Loa Janan mine for East Kalimantan coal mining firm PT. Anugerah Bara Kaltim.

The company said the future of its Indonesian business remains promising with strong demand for Indonesian resources, particularly coal. The company said other opportunities in civil engineering, rail and oil and gas-related projects are being pursued.(alex)