InfoSAWIT, LAMPUNG – Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Perhutani and PT Hakaaston developed new innovation to test road marks by using derivative products of pine sap (gondorukem) and side product of biodiesel (glycerol). The collaboration that was pioneered by Pengelola Tol Terbanggi Besar (Bakter) and PT Bakauheni Terbanggi Besar Toll (BTB Toll) would be about to increase the road/infrastructure quality and sustainability in Indonesia.

As InfoSAWIT quoted from the official page of ITB, Monday (16/9/2024), Gondorukem from pine sap distillation and glycerol, the side product of palm oil biodiesel, were chosen for the quality that could support durability and sustainability of the road marks. The project that has started since 2022 with the fund supports from Grant Riset Sawit – Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (PFMA), involved Indonesian Inventor Association led by Prof. Ir. Didiek Goenadi.

Ade Rintoro of PT Hakaaston said, the local material usage would be about not only to escalate tingkat komponen dalam negeri (TKDN) but also to promote environmental material usage. “We do hope the innovation would minimize the dependence on import material from fossil – base to make road marks,” he said.

Research lecturer of ITB, Aqsha, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., said that the concept of using gondorukem and glycerol to make road marks has been applied in other countries and it is locally developed. The research team of ITB, Perhutani and Hakaaston actively developed the formulation since 2022 and did test in ITB Jatinangor in October 2022 and November 2023.

Dani Setyo Nugroho of Perhutani said that the collaboration would be the ideal thing that involved three parties, such as, ITB as the research institution, Perhutani as gondorukem producer, and PT Hakaaston as the potential user. It is hoped the successful project would get more qualified and competitive road mark in many roads nationally.

Riadiano Muhammad, Project Manager Tol Bakter did welcome the positive innovation and said that the test would get more durable road marks and would be the same standards as it needed.

By the road mark test that laid on 1.000 meters in Bakter highway, the parties hoped the innovation would be applied not only in the highway but also in others to support import materials and increase independency to produce road infrastructures in Indonesia. (T2)