Persistent oversupply, particularly in China, and sotened demand led to nearly 16% fall of polypropylene (PP) resin price last year. Yet, PT Polytama Propindo (PLTM), the second largest manufacturer of polypropylene resin (PP resin) in Indonesia behind Chandra Asri, decided to grow its capacity significantly in the coming years.

South Korea’s biopharmaceutical company, SK Plasma in a collaboration with Indonesia Investment Authority (INA) sovereign fund has built the first plasma fractionation facility in Indonesia and the largest in Southeast Asia.

Amidst downfall of foreign direct investment (FDI), two South Korean companies have recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a joint venture for production of chemicals in Indonesia.

Some media outlets quoted Rosan P Roeslani, minister of investments and CEO of sovereign wealth fund Danantara, last Friday (Dec 19) saying one aluminium smelter project with estimated investment of US$24 billion will start ground breaking of construction next month. Typo?

Trade wars and energy transition programs give Indonesia an opportunity to host solar panel manufacturers relocated from China. Policy stability, however, is needed because of competition with neighbouring countries like Vietnam and Malaysia.

The Vietnamese EV manufacturer VinFast has officially inaugurated its manufacturing plant in Subang, West Java province with an initial production capacity of 50,000 units per annum, following its Indian factory’s inaugurated last August.

China’s Bosai Minerals Group, which generated US$8.6 billion of sales revenues last year, and PT Surabaya Industrial Estate Rungkut (SIER) have recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the preparation of industrial land use. This collaboration marks the first step in Bosai’s major investment in East Java, particularly Pasuruan Regency.

The race between the United States and China to dominate the global technology supply chain has turned brutal. Export controls, industrial sanctions, semiconductor blockades and escalating geopolitical pressure have fractured the world into two competing tech ecosystems. What was once economic competition has evolved into a full-scale technological cold war.

The Ministry of Investment and downstreaming has recently revealed that China’s Zhejiang FreeNow Food Co. Ltd., a coconut derivative producer, has begun construction of coconut processing plant in Morowali, Central Sulawesi province with US$100 million of investment.

Minister of finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa promised to take action on the flood of imported steel construction that hurting domestic fabricators. Purbaya didn’t specify, but responded positively complaints from local players.