Langkat, N Sumatra (ANTARA News) - France`s Cement Lafarge, one of the world`s leading cement makers which will build a cement factory in Langkat district, North Sumatra, hasn`t yet obtained a building license for the project, a North Sumatra energy official said.

"No license has been issued for Lafarge which will build cement plants in Kuala and Bahorok, Langkat," head of North Sumatra Mines and Energy office, Iskandarsyah said here on Sunday.

Antara learned that Lafarge will build a cement factory with the designed capacity of 1.5 million tons a year with a total investment of Rp3.5 trillion. The factory is expected to start operating in 2015.

The 200 hectares for the cement plant which will be located in Parit Bindu village, Kuala sub-district (containing clay), 73 hectares in Batu Katak village, Bahorok sub-district (containing clay) and another 227 hectares in Batu Katak Bahorok village (containing limestone).

In the meantime, head of North Sumatra provincial Industry and Trade ffice T. Nilfan Shahari said Lafarge, in addition to its factory in Aceh province, PT Semen Andalas Indonsia (SAI), should obtain new building licenses.

"We always opened the opportunity for investors to build cement plandts in Langkat," T. Nilfan Shahari added.

Lafarge cement factory in Lhok Nga, Aceh province had been destroyed and stopped production for several months due to a major earthquake and tsunami in late December 2004.

Thus, cement consumption in Aceh and its environs is partially met by imported cement. (*)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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