Indorama Corporation

Background

Indorama Corporation was founded in 1973 by Sri Prakash Lohia and his father Mohan Lal Lohia. They began with a single plant in the West Java province of Indonesia that manufactured spun yarn. They named their operation Indorama Synthetics. The first three to four years were difficult, but they succeeded. Today Indorama is a multinational corporation, producing and supplying the world with polyethylene, polyester fiber, polypropylene and filament, medical gloves, as well as its original spun yarns. Indorama operates 57 factories in 21 countries and is the world’s largest manufacturer of resins used to produce plastic bottles. Its global customer base consists of the medical, apparel and non-apparel, automotive upholstery, sewing, and home furnishing industries.

Geographic scope

Indorama Corporation is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia but in the last several years, it has enlarged its geographical focus to Africa where nearly $2 billion has been invested to build up its West Africa petrochemicals operations. Another $2 billion is in progress, most of it going to Nigeria. Indorama has become the largest manufacturer of polyolefins in West Africa. Indorama’s Africa presence began in 2006 when it purchased from the government a 75 percent share in what is today known as Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals. $1.2 billion was invested a few years ago to construct a new fertilizer plant in Nigeria, along with funding from the World Bank, African Development Bank and other international financiers.

Products

Indorama Industries Ltd is principally engaged in the manufacture of spandex or Elastane, used in the production of clothing, particularly outerwear. PT Indorama Synthetics is one of the largest producers of spun yarn and polyester in Indonesia. It manufactures laminated, high twist, filament and other fabrics. It is one of the largest exporters in Indonesia, shipping product to customers in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. Medisafe Technologies is a leading producer of sterile, disposable gloves used by doctors, surgeons and industrial technicians. The gloves are made from Nitrile, Chloroprene and Polyisoprene. Medisafe’s disposable gloves are designed to protect wearers from toxic exposure to blood-borne pathogens, chemicals or chemotherapy drugs, among other risks. Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals is the leading Polyolefins producer in West Africa. YTY Industry Holdings is also in the production of protective gloves, manufactured from natural rubber latex and Nitrile. Located in Malaysia, there are two manufacturing plants and more than 50 production lines. Industries Chimiques du Senegal is one of the largest industrial complexes in Senegal and a major producer of phosphate fertilizers in the Sub-Saharan region of Africa. Indorama Real Estate began operations in Indonesia in 1995. Several large-scale commercial projects have been completed in Jakarta’s Golden Triangle. Indorama also provides property management services. Indorama Eleme Fertilizer and Chemicals, Ltd. has recently completed a large-scale fertilizer plant in Nigeria. The entire projects consists of an ammonia plant, urea plant, a gas pipeline and terminal for exporting all product.

Corporate Responsibility

A major cornerstone of Indorama’s strategic plan is social responsibility, which it facilitates through a number of initiatives related to improving the social, cultural and economic conditions of the communities where it operates. Supported programs focus on health, education and safety, such as the Center for African Studies which is building and empowering human capital.