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With that plant's annual capacity raised from 225,000 tonnes to 432,000 tonnes, the company's combined output will exceed 1.4 million tonnes per annum, from 800,000 tonnes last year. Sales volume will also rise to 1.1 million tonnes, from 778,000 tonnes last year.

The increased sales volume is expected to be driven by strong demand for plastic granules and glass, said executive chairman Aloke Lohia.

"This year, we're confident our sales volume will grow. Amid the deepening economic crisis, we've not seen a slowing trend or a drop in demand in the PET industry, which produces consumer necessities and is considered non-discretionary spending. And we have both local and foreign operations, which automatically helps lower some business risks that have arisen from the present crisis," Lohia said in a statement.

Indorama Polymers has targeted consolidated revenue of Bt47 billion this year, up from Bt41.93 billion last year, and with a higher net profit from a continuous decline in fuel costs. The company posted a consolidated 2008 net profit of Bt1.54 billion, up 43.8 per cent from the year before.

IRP expects to see this year's net margins rise from 4 per cent last year, thanks to reductions in raw-material prices and declining fuel costs, along with an estimate of the average product spread improving from last year's $234 a tonne.

In this quarter, the average product spread is $240 a tonne, up from $208 in the same period last year.

Lohia believes IRP will meet the higher revenue target despite the lingering economic downturn and that the PET-polymers industry will continue to have a healthy outlook amid the local and global crises. Polymer products, including PET polymers, have a resilient demand from consumers.

He said manufacturers had shifted to using plastics as a substitute for glass and aluminium. Demand for PET polymers in the US alone is about 4 million tonnes a year.

But Lohia said despite the global demand, some plastics producers were planning to shut down their operations, which would be good for Indorama's sales. Many in the US and Europe have already closed.