Kideco ramps up production

Coal miner Kideco Jaya Agung said Monday it would increase production from 10 million tons this year to 11 million tons in 2002.

?We see demand for our coal a little bit higher than 11 million next year,? said Kim Dong Sook, Kideco?s managing director told Petromindo.com.

He said the increase of production was due to the completion of its third expansion project, which was just completed this year.

?With the completion of that expansion project, we would have no trouble to ramp up production to 11.5 million tons per annum,? he said.

He further said that in 2003, the company planned to further increase its annual production to 12 million tons.

Kideco , which is the country?s fifth largest coal producer, operates a mine in Pasir Regency, East Kalimantan

The company is fully owned by Sam Tan Company Limited of South Korea

Kideco sells most of its coal to Korea, Taiwan, Slovenia, Japan and The Philippines. Domestically it sells coal to Indonesia Power. (alex)