\n\nIndonesia has officially started construction of its first soda ash plant in the Bangtang City Industrial Area, East Kalimantan. The project has an investment of IDR 5 trillion, covers 16 hectares, is expected to create 800 jobs, and is scheduled to be completed and operational by March 2028. The President of PT Pupuk Indonesia stated that this project ends Indonesia's 30-year history of not being able to produce soda ash domestically. Currently, Indonesia imports 1 million tons of soda ash annually, with demand growing at a rate of 5-6% per year.\n\nThe new plant will produce 300,000 tons of soda ash per year, replacing 30% of import demand, and also 300,000 tons of ammonium chloride, estimated to reduce fertilizer raw material import costs by IDR 2.5 trillion annually. Soda ash (sodium carbonate) is a key raw material for industries such as glass, detergents, and paper, while its by-product ammonium chloride is an important fertilizer needed for palm oil plantations.\n\nThe project is built by PT TCC Indonesia and PT Rekayasa Industri, with funding from the company's own capital and domestic bank support. A senior executive from PT Danatama Aset Manajemen pointed out that soda ash is also an important raw material for lithium carbonate, a material for electric vehicle batteries. This plant will promote the downstream strategy of the national chemical industry, with future potential for exports and boosting economic growth in Bangtang City.
\n\nIndonesia has officially started construction of its first soda ash plant in the Bangtang City Industrial Area, East Kalimantan. The project has an investment of IDR 5 trillion, covers 16 hectares, is expected to create 800 jobs, and is scheduled to be completed and operational by March 2028. The President of PT Pupuk Indonesia stated that this project ends Indonesia's 30-year history of not being able to produce soda ash domestically. Currently, Indonesia imports 1 million tons of soda ash annually, with demand growing at a rate of 5-6% per year.\n\nThe new plant will produce 300,000 tons of soda ash per year, replacing 30% of import demand, and also 300,000 tons of ammonium chloride, estimated to reduce fertilizer raw material import costs by IDR 2.5 trillion annually. Soda ash (sodium carbonate) is a key raw material for industries such as glass, detergents, and paper, while its by-product ammonium chloride is an important fertilizer needed for palm oil plantations.\n\nThe project is built by PT TCC Indonesia and PT Rekayasa Industri, with funding from the company's own capital and domestic bank support. A senior executive from PT Danatama Aset Manajemen pointed out that soda ash is also an important raw material for lithium carbonate, a material for electric vehicle batteries. This plant will promote the downstream strategy of the national chemical industry, with future potential for exports and boosting economic growth in Bangtang City.