Why Pertamina Lubricants stays ahead of competition in Indonesia

With 100 Indonesian National Standards certifications for its product line, Pertamina Lubricants raises the bar for competition and consumer trust.

Immersed in a competitive and growing industry, Pertamina Lubricants has emerged as a frontrunner in Indonesia, trumping not just domestic but global brands as well.

For this subsidiary of Pertamina commercial and trading sub-holding, its success in the lubricants business is more of an organisational commitment to excellence, innovation, and quality standards than a goal to fortify its position in the industry.

Intania Prionggo, manager of public relations and support at Pertamina Lubricants, highlighted this philosophy that has allowed Pertamina Lubricants to stay on top and cultivate consumer trust.

Make no mistake about it: the lubricant industry competition in Indonesia is highly intense. Pertamina Lubricants has consistently enhanced the value of its lubricants and specialty chemical products. The secret to its success? The active adoption of Indonesian National Standards (SNI), said Prionggo.

It aims to introduce world-class products and remains committed to enhancing competitiveness by being more adaptive, innovative, and agile in meeting market demands.

Prionggo explained: “One concrete step to ensure this is by actively implementing SNI across all its lubricant products and standardising the SNI/ISO Series management systems, from production lines to distribution and marketing.”

This strategy has propelled Pertamina Lubricants to excellence, particularly as the national lubricant industry experiences remarkable growth.

Recognising the potential in the surging sales of motor vehicles and the post-COVID-19 surge in industrial activities, Pertamina Lubricants is well-positioned to meet the increased demand for quality industrial lubricants.

Management standardisation

Prionggo revealed that since its establishment in 2013, Pertamina Lubricants has rolled out a roadmap for a steadfast path to implement and integrate standardisation throughout its operations.

In doing so, it has not veered away from compliance with government regulations, quality assurance and customer satisfaction. At the same time, its journey to standardisation has boosted the company’s competitiveness.

“At present, Pertamina Lubricants has integrated eight SNI/ISO standards, ranging from Quality Management Systems, Environmental Management Systems, Health & Safety Management Systems, Anti-Bribery Management Systems, Energy Management Systems, to Asset Management Systems,” Prionggo said.

 “Pertamina Lubricants has also been accredited with SNI ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for Laboratory Quality Management Systems in various factory areas and lubricant testing laboratories across Indonesia,” she added, citing it as a significant achievement.

One distinctive feather in Pertamina Lubricants’ cap is the IATF 16949:2016 standard. This unique standardisation is a requirement for Quality Management Systems, specifically tailored for the automotive sector.

Developed by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF), it ensures stringent compliance within the automotive industry, further cementing Pertamina Lubricants’ position as a reliable leader in this sector, Prionggo said.

Lubricant standards

“As a prideful lubricant company in Indonesia, Pertamina Lubricants fully supports the standardisation of products and the use of SNI-certified products. This commitment is to consistently provide the best quality and world-class products for Indonesian consumers. Implementing SNI will also enhance consumer trust and, in the long term, increase our competitive advantage in the global market,” Prionggo told Asian Business Review.

“To date, Pertamina Lubricants has proactively obtained SNI certification for its flagship lubricant products since 2013. We have acquired 100 SNI certifications for various lubricant product variants in automotive and industrial segments, including Fastron, Prima XP, Enduro 4T, Meditran SX, Turalik, and many more,” she said.

Prionggo reiterated Pertamina Lubricants’ commitment to SNI, stating that they view SNI as a crucial pillar in their efforts to strengthen the competitiveness of Pertamina’s lubricant products, both domestically and internationally.

“By adhering strictly to SNI standards, we not only ensure product quality but also build public trust,” she concluded.