Encouraging The Utilization Of Domestic Products, Minister Basuki Inaugurates LRB Factory In Karawang

PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono (left) inaugurated the LRB Factory owned by PT Magdatama Multi Industri, in Karawang, West Java. (Photo: Public Relations of the Ministry of PUPR)

JAKARTA - Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono inaugurated the Lead Rubber Bearing Factory (LRB) owned by PT Magdatama Multi Industri, in Karawang International Industrial City (KIIC), Monday, January 30.

It is known, LRB is one of the components used as earthquake shock-resistant bearings in road and bridge infrastructure.

Its function is to maintain the security of the structure during an earthquake, thus demanding product quality from LRB which must pass verification according to applicable specification standards.

Minister Basuki said this was done to prove that the LRB component had been successfully produced locally with a domestic content level (TKDN) reaching 78.75 percent.

"The PUPR Ministry is pushing for more massive local production. So, we don't have to import LRB all the time, and I think this LRB has a high TKDN, which is 78.75 percent," Basuki said in a written statement, Monday, January 30.

According to Basuki, Magdatama's bearing factory in Karawang is the largest in productivity in Indonesia. He also encouraged the directors to be able to continue to develop production, so that they could export to various countries.

"There are actually only two that produce, one Bukaka (PT Bukaka Teknik Utama) is still small in production, and this one (the Magdatama factory) is much bigger. Why are the others small? Because the steel is taken from Krakatau Steel whose TKDN is around 50 percent, this one, right, from rubber so it's 78 percent," he explained.

Apart from LRB, PT Magdatama Multi Industri also produces Expansion Joints, namely Strip Seal Joints which have TKDN values ​​of 45.45 percent, and Seismic Modular Joints of 55.95 percent.

The Expansion Joint has been applied to several toll road and bridge projects in Indonesia, such as the Pekanbaru-Dumai Toll Road, six DKI- Kelapa Gading Toll Road Sections, Lebak Bulus MRT, Palembang LRT, Holtekamp Bridge, and others.

Currently, the use of LRB has also been prepared for the construction of the Yogyakarta-Bawen Toll Road.

Based on the special specification SKh-1.7.47 issued by the Directorate General of Highways, LRB must be tested under earthquake dynamic conditions to prove its characteristic performance before it can be produced in large quantities.

Thus, the PT Magdatama Multi Industri factory also provides a high-speed earthquake dynamic testing facility for the first seismic isolator in Indonesia, namely MsLAB which is also the largest in Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartanto said, the existence of this factory was in accordance with President Joko Widodo's directives to encourage the use of domestic products.

"In the midst of Indonesia's earthquake-prone conditions, the presence of a bearing factory is relatively important for strategic infrastructure in Indonesia, especially for the rubber industry in Indonesia, which is around IDR 69 trillion, a fairly high amount," said Airlangga.

On the other hand, the Main Director of PT Magdatama Multi Industri Magdalena Santy expressed her gratitude for the government's support, especially the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Ministry of Industry, and Ministry of PUPR in encouraging increased domestic production.

"Thank you also to the Directorate General of Highways for accompanying us in carrying out testing of our products. Hopefully, we can continue to meet domestic infrastructure needs," said Magdalena.

For your information, PT Magdatama Multi Industri's LRB, Bearing, Expansion Joint, and Seismic Isolator-msLAB Test Facility employs 200 human resources and has a production capacity of 14,000 units per year.