Indonesia Develops Advanced Rubber Technology to Boost Export Value

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is developing natural rubber-based material technology to create high-value-added products, ranging from train components to aircraft tires. This initiative was announced by BRIN on Monday, August 10, 2026, as part of an effort to elevate the national rubber industry beyond its role as a mere exporter of raw materials.

Indonesia is one of the world's largest natural rubber producers, with an annual output of approximately 3.6 million tons. Senior Expert Engineer at BRIN, Ade Sholeh Hidayat, stated that the aim is to leverage this immense potential by processing the rubber into finished goods with significantly higher economic value rather than selling it solely as raw material.

The development process is carried out in stages, starting with material formulation design, mixing rubber with various additives, and vulcanization, followed by testing the material's strength and durability. Once testing is successfully completed, the research findings are used to create prototypes before mass production with industry partners.

This technology is applied across various strategic sectors, including land, sea, and air transportation, construction, the electrical industry, and defense. In the railway sector, for instance, BRIN is developing rail pads and bogie components, while the maritime sector has seen the production of dock fenders and rubber airbags—products that are now replacing similar imports.

One of the most notable innovations is the development of retread tires for Twin Otter and N-219 aircraft, featuring a specialized rubber compound formulation and a dedicated certification process. The technology and production method for these natural rubber-based aircraft tires were granted a patent in 2024, underscoring the global originality of the research.

Beyond heavy industry applications, this rubber technology is also utilized to produce affordable, durable, and slip-resistant footwear for children participating in the government's "Sekolah Rakyat" (People's School) education program. BRIN carries out the development of these products through collaborations with domestic industry players, universities, and national standardization bodies.

Through this end-to-end research approach, BRIN aims to strengthen Indonesia's position in the global rubber industry supply chain while reducing reliance on imported products. Ade emphasized that cross-sector collaboration would continue to be expanded so that research findings could be rapidly adopted by the market and generate tangible economic impact.