Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) appreciated the expansion carried out by PT Smelting. The President believes that this expansion will not only increase the production capacity of copper anodes and cathodes but also add value in Indonesia.

"Capacity for the production of copper anodes and cathodes has increased from 1 million tonnes per year to 1.3 million tonnes per year. "This shows the commitment of PT Freeport Indonesia which is working with Mitsubishi to downstream, build downstream with expansion, so that added value can be found in Indonesia," said the President when inaugurating PT's expansion. Smelting, in Gresik Regency, East Java, Thursday (14/12/2023).

The President hopes that the construction of the smelter in the Java Integrated Industrial and Port Estate (JIIPE) Gresik area can increase capacity by up to 1.7 million tons per year.

"We hope that later with the construction of the smelter at JIIPE Gresik, an additional 1.7 million tons per year will be added. "This means that in one year our smelter can produce 3 million tons per year and the added value is all in Indonesia," he said.

The Head of State believes that in the future many copper derivative industries will emerge in the country.

"Because with that, new industries will emerge, such as those already in the development process for copper foil, later many will go to to our country to build copper derivative industries," he said.

Apart from that, President Jokowi also encouraged downstreaming not only to be carried out in mineral materials, but also in plantation and agricultural commodities. According to the President, downstreaming can increase job opportunities and add value in the country.

Everything must be downstreamed so that the added value is in our country, the job opportunities are in our country, be it in plantations, agriculture, fisheries, everything. We should no longer send minerals in raw form, plantation materials, plantation commodities, agriculture in raw form," he said.

In his statement after the inauguration, President Jokowi also explained that downstream efforts in every commodity in the country, which aim to increase added value, are considered capable of strengthening national economic growth.

"Added value is once again in our country, that is what will make this country a producing country - a production country, and the power of economic growth is in production, not consumption," said the President.

Accompanying the President on this occasion were Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir, Minister of Investment/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono, TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto, President Director of PT Smelting Hideya Sato, President Director of PT Freeport Tony Wenas, Governor of East Java Khofifah Indar Parawansa, and Regent of Gresik Fandi Akhmad Yani.

Image source: BPMI Setpres

Source: www.setkab.go.id/Resmikan Ekspansi PT Smelting, Presiden Tekankan Nilai Tambah untuk Indonesia