PALMOILMAGAZINE, LAMPUNG – Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Perhutani, and PT Hakaaston have developed a new innovation for road markings using pine sap derivatives (gondorukem) and glycerol, a byproduct of biodiesel.
This collaboration, initiated by Pengelola Tol Terbanggi Besar (Bakter) and PT Bakauheni Terbanggi Besar Toll (BTB Toll), aims to enhance road infrastructure quality and sustainability in Indonesia.
According to Palmoilmagazine.com from ITB’s official page on Monday, September 16, 2024, gondorukem and glycerol were selected for their durability and sustainability benefits for road markings.
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The project, which began in 2022 with funding from the Grant Riset Sawit – Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (PFMA), involves the Indonesian Inventor Association, led by Prof. Ir. Didiek Goenadi.
Ade Rintoro of PT Hakaaston noted that using local materials aims to boost domestic component usage and promote environmentally friendly materials. “We hope this innovation will reduce reliance on imported fossil-based materials for road markings,” he said.
ITB researcher Aqsha, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., mentioned that the use of gondorukem and glycerol for road markings has been implemented in other countries and is being locally developed. The research team from ITB, Perhutani, and Hakaaston has been refining the formulation since 2022, with tests conducted at 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. (P2)
