PALEMBANG – In preparation of the upcoming New Normal phase, Semen Baturaja held Covid-19 rapid test for all of its employees. The rapid test for Palembang site, the Representative Office of Jakarta, and Jambi was conducted on 9-10 June 2020 then. The test was continued on Site Baturaja on 16-17 June 2020 and Site Lampung on 19 June 2020. Semen Baturaja has collaborated with Pertamina Medika Hospital or State-Owned Business Enterprises Hospitals in each region to carry out the rapid test. The rapid test was performed in order to anticipate the potential risk and infection of Covid-19 within SMBR environment area, especially considering that in the near future the Central Government, through the Ministry of State-Owned Business Enterprises, has requested for each state-owned company to prepare themselves for the New Normal phase so that their company’s operational processes will be able to work like usual. Semen Baturaja, too, has further tighten its health protocol on its company’s activity in order to protect its employees, customers, distributors, business partners, and stakeholders in entering the novel New Normal phase.

PALEMBANG – The Company of Semen Baturaja (SMBR) has recently started prime shipping its cement products to Pontianak. The product was transported from Boom Baru port on Palembang, to Pontianak on Wednesday, 10 June 2020. The Director of SMBR Marketing, Dede Pasarade, explained that the delivering of the product to Pontianak is a continuity from the market trial that has been done since 2019 then. A total of 750 tons of cement was transported in the prime shipping. Dede also explained that during this month of July, there will be two shipping with a capacity total of 2750 ton. “Should the prime shipping went well, SMBR is ready for a long-term contract with local distributor,” he said.

The primes shipping was done by collaborating with the Tanjung Priok harbor officials, which is a subsidiary company of Pelindo II, whose role is a loading and unloading services company that is appointed by SMBR for its handling service. Dede mentioned that SMBR’s expansion into the cement market in Pontianak was one of the company’s strategic steps to improve the utilization of their existing plants. Furthermore, he added, the company perceived that the cement market in Kalimantan (Pontianak in particular) to be still very prospective for development, regardless of the national cement industry oversupply. “We are confident that our company will be able to attain 5% of the market’s segment in Pontianak for the entirety of 2020”, he said.

Dede further explained that other than the focus on cement sales in South Sumatra market, SMBR will also continue to try expanding its market in the future despite the oversupply condition of the national cement industry and the negative inclination of its growth due to the impact of Covid-19 pandemic. “With the addition of SMBR cement product in Pontianak, we wanted to prove that SMBR is capable of expanding its territory outside of Sumatra,” he said again. Other than Pontianak, SMBR has also prepared several new potential market places outside of Sumatra that are ready to be worked on to reach the company’s target in 2020. “Even right now, we are already looking into possibility in cement exporting and clinker bricks,” he lastly added.

BATURAJA – In the effort to prevent the spreading of Covid-19, Semen Baturaja, through their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Program, has conducted disinfectant spraying for districts and villages situated near Ring I of Baturaja Plant. The CSR program is an act of consideration by SMBR in supporting the government’s attempt to manage the infection of Covid-19 pandemic, especially in the OKU region. The spraying was done on 8 points that include 2 villages and 6 districts, they are: Laya and Pusar village, and the districts of Suka Jadi, Batu Kuning, Saung Naga, Tanjung Agung, Air Gading, and Talang Jawa. The disinfectant spraying has been conducted since 28 May until 3 June 2020 in several public facilities such as: official residences, police department offices, religious institutions, and public schools.

PALEMBANG – Semen Baturaja has organized Halal bi-Halal and Town Hall Meeting in the middle of Covid-19 pandemic. The company event that has become an annual tradition was being held differently this time; it was now done virtually through Video Conference on Tuesday, 4 June, with all Board Directors and employees of SMBR attending (or rather, online) on the conference. The theme for this year’s event is “Stayin-touch even in the middle of pandemic”. The theme was decided accordingly with the current situation of Covid-19 pandemic, where everyone is encouraged to still maintain relationships with each other using the many communication media, such as chat or video call.

The event was opened with official greetings from all Directors and is continued by testimonies from employees’ representatives who shared their experiences when celebrating Eid al-Fitr in the middle of Covid-19 pandemic. The event also featured Town Hall Meeting where participants of the video call discuss about the preparation in adapting to the New Normal. In Semen Baturaja’s case, the company had already prepared several healths Protocol that conforms to Covid-19 standard by forming the Task Force Team of SMBR. Other than that, Semen Baturaja had also even readied Covid Ranger of SMBR who will serve as an agent in socializing about the health protocol for the entirety of Semen Baturaja workers.

Dr. Tuhfa Mahdiah of Siloam In House Clinic has also been provided an opportunity to give lecture about Covid-19 and the enactment of the New Normal from the perspective of a medical worker. Even though the event was done virtually, the purpose of the event, which is to strengthen the bonds between workers, was still able to be realized.