Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Investment in construction materials or non-metal mineral industries grew three percent last year to Rp1.58 trillion from the previous year, industry minister MS Hidayat said here on Tuesday.

The industries are projected to continue to grow in line with the increasing property and construction development, he said.

"The population is very big and the good development prospects especially in property and construction sectors will boost construction materials market development," he said at the opening of ceramic, glass and construction products at his ministry.

He projected construction materials industry would grow in line with the national economic growth to boost growth in the property sector.

"The property market is expected to still grow in 2011 in line with the economic growth which is projected to reach 6.4 percent," he said.

He said construction materials industries are the main supporters of development and property sectors and therefore all parties concerned must give support to the industries so that they would grow significantly.

"Construction materials industry or non-metal minerals industry are widely linked with other economic and industrial sub-sectors and the life of a lot of people while its products are the consumer products of wide community," he said.

The minister said he was optimistic construction materials industries in the country would grow in view of abundant raw materials available that had not yet been exploited maximally.

He said the availability of raw materials provides an opportunity to increase the competitiveness of products.

"That is what has made several national industries to conduct expansion," he said.

According to industry ministry data, a number of national construction materials industries have been able to meet the domestic needs such as ceramic, glass and cement industries.

Indonesia is the world`s fifth biggest ceramic floor tile producer with an installed capacity of 332 million cubic meter a year while the country`s glass products industries have a production capacity of 1.45 million tons to meet the domestic needs and in 2010 their exports reached more than US$200 million.

Indonesia`s cement industries will also be able to meet the national needs until the next several years` time with its production capacity of 52 million tons a year. In 2010 the national cement production reached 40.7 million tons.

It is the paint industry that has not yet been able to meet the national demand. According to the ministry`s data demand for paint and ink products reaches 600,000 tons with the increasing rate of demand at seven percent a year. Indonesia therefore still imports around 100,000 tons.

A total of 28 industries and two government institutions such as the Ceramic House took part in the exhibition that would last until June 10.
(T.R016/H-YH/HAJM/A014)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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