Financial Crisis Focuses Minds at Bentoel

Source from:  tobaccoreporter.com Oct 23, 2008 10/24/2008

PT Bentoel Prima, Indonesia's fourth largest cigarette producer, is focusing on its core business in the wake of the U.S. financial crisis, reports the Jakarta Post. Bentoel corporate secretary Satrija Budi Wibawa said his company would be focusing on the distribution of main products and expanding its market, and would stop all programs and activities that did not directly relate to the core business. He said the financial crisis would bring negative impacts and weaken people's purchasing power. "When the purchasing power decreases, it will directly influence public spending for cigarette products, including Bentoel," he said. Furthermore, Satrija said the crisis would influence Bentoel's ability to pay back its bank credits. Enditem