Indonesia's second largest listed tobacco company, PT Handaya Mandala Sampoerna, said it has government approval for a planned 2.8 trillion rupiah (US$ 307.5 million) factory.

In a letter to the Jakarta Stock Exchange dated 24 July, Sampoerna said the completion of the factory in Karawang, east of Jakarta, was expected in 24 months after approval from Indonesia's investment coordinating board on 14 July.
Sampoerna, a company with a market capitalisation of around US$ 3.7 billion, is among the top three cigarette makers in Indonesia, a country of 220 million people. PT Gudang Garam is the biggest player with unlisted Djarum and Sampoerna fighting for second place.
Philip Morris International, the tobacco arm of Altria Group, bought nearly 100 per cent of Sampoerna last year in a deal worth around US$ 5.2 billion (US$ 1 = 9105 rupiah). (pi)