Batam Potentially Becomes a Worthed Electronic Value Cluster Center

INDUSTRY.co.id - Batam, the Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) encourage Batam to become the center of cluster development of high value-added electronic industries.

This effort is to support the implementation of Making Indonesia 4.0, as the electronics industry is one of five manufacturing sectors that will be piloted in the application of technology in the era of the fourth industrial revolution.

"Up to now that it has developed in Batam it's shipbuilding industry, which also supplies marine offshore. This sector is affected by the price cycle of oil, "said Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartarto during a working visit in Batam, Riau Islands, last weekend.

With the decline in world crude oil prices some time ago, the growth of shipyard industry sector in Batam had decreased.

"Currently, Batam's economy is only two percent. To that end, we are spurring the competitiveness of electronic-based industries. In addition, which is also a potential is the maintenance industry, repair, and overhaul (MRO), "said Minister.

Great opportunity to advance the electronics industry in Batam, Airlangga Believed, because in the city there are industrial areas that 70 percent filled by electronics manufacturers and producers of various supporting components.

"This is what we will push the cycle to complement the electronics industry in Batam, from the recycle industry to the high added value," he said.

For example, in the Batamindo industrial area, PT Infineon Technologies has been established since 1999 to produce semiconductors and system solutions for the needs of electronic components in the automotive, communications and energy sectors.

One of the excellent products of this German company is the microelectronics applied to the vehicle's powertrain for the efficiency of an electric or hybrid engine.

"The company is the top three in the world. In the energy field, its products are number one in the market. They are able to meet the needs for electronic components power plant, smartphone and automotive, "said Minister.

In fact, other products from Infineon can also be applied to support the system of internet of things, which became one of the features of industrial technology 4.0.

Globally, Infineon has 36 R & D centers and 18 factories. Infineon's profit from global semiconductor product sales in 2017 is estimated to reach USD414 billion, up from last year's earnings of USD339 billion.

In the Asia Pacific region, Infineon absorbs a workforce of 18 thousand people, with contributions from Batam about 2,000 employees.