ACHMAD THOLCHAH , GENERAL MANAGER OF IT AT PT SEMEN INDONESIA , DISCUSSES THE COMPANY ’ S PLANS TO MAINTAIN ITS POSITION AS A MARKET LEADER

T he world is changing . As markets are disrupted and reshaped by new technologies , methodologies and players , existing leaders must constantly adapt in order to survive and , hopefully , thrive . In Indonesia , the country ’ s cement production industry is facing a two-fold challenge : new enterprises entering the market , alongside increased production by existing players , has driven up supply and seen consumer demand decrease by 0.6 %. “ As a result , the average utilisation rate of cement producers in Indonesia has continued to decrease ,” explains Achmad Tholchah , General Manager of IT at PT Semen Indonesia ( Persero ) Tbk ( Semen Indonesia ). Tholchah predicts that , while demand is beginning to grow again , constantly increasing competition is inevitable . “ This combination of excess supply and decreasing demand for cement has led to increased competition in the market and pressure on pricing , reducing the average price by around 6.5 %.”