Indonesia’s Pertamina expands lubricants market to U.S.

PT Pertamina’s assistant foreign marketing manager, Nugroho Setyo Utomo, said the company will expand its lubricants business to the U.S. earlier than expected. He said, “The expansion to be exact, Seattle, is beyond expectations because the company`s initial target was 2016.” The expansion will be moved to as early as next year because it was approached by a U.S. company for its lubricants. “Besides quality, the U.S. company has chosen our products because Pertamina is considered more flexible,” he added. State-owned Pertamina’s lubricants sales rose from 127% in the period from 2008 to September 2011. The company is also planning to expand to Indochina and China, through the acquisition of a lube plant in Thailand. In China, it is planning to buy a local brand. If prospects in the U.S. are good, Utomo said Pertamina may consider building a lubricant packaging plant there as well. The company’s lubricant products are now being marketed to 19 countries. (October 24, 2011)