With a 300,000-ton annual capacity, Asia Pacific Rayon (APR) is a fully integrated viscose rayon company. The company’s mill and its supplier, Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL), are both situated in Pangkalan Kerinci, Pelalawan, Riau, Indonesia. APR is a member of the RGE (Royal Golden Eagle) group of resource-based manufacturing firms, and it operates in accordance with the RGE 5Cs founding principles to protect the community, the nation, the environment, the customer, and the business.
As he elaborated on the goods and services that APR provides to the world market in an exclusive interview, Basrie Kamba, President Director, said: “At APR, we make high tenacity viscose fibre, which is made from natural wood cellulose. We provide a variety of methods that bring about these advantages. in daily used hygiene products, home textiles, and clothing. Viscose rayon is comfortable, breathable, and absorbent with a silky appearance and feel similar to cotton. It is simple to dye and may be woven or knitted to create soft-to-the-touch baby clothes, skirts, shirts, and outfits. It’s the perfect material for luxurious bedding, towels, tablecloths, napkins, furniture covers, curtains, and drapes at home.Additionally, viscose rayon is a fully biodegradable substitute for other synthetic fabrics made from petroleum. It’s a terrific substitute for cotton because the cellulose pulp required to make viscose rayon comes from sustainably managed plantations of quickly expanding acacia and eucalyptus trees, he continued.
Worldwide Footprint
The business offers its viscose staple fibre (VSF) product to both as well as to other significant international markets like China, Turkey, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Pakistan. “Our dedication to quality, sustainability, and innovation has helped us create a significant presence in these markets. Additionally, we make ongoing research and development investments to improve our product line and meet our customers’ changing needs. In order to make sure that our operations are not only successful but also advantageous to the communities and the environment, we engage closely with our stakeholders, including local suppliers and communities.He then discussed the capabilities of APR’s worldwide manufacturing infrastructure, saying: “As said previously, our integrated production line has a total output capacity of 300,000 tonnes per year, making us the largest integrated manufacturer in the world. VSF manufacturer in Asia. We are continually looking for ways to increase our capacity and satisfy the rising demand for environmentally friendly and sustainable viscose-rayon. We firmly think that businesses can become more resilient, productive, and inventive by fostering a diverse, egalitarian, and inclusive culture.
We currently employ about 800 people who directly work in our facilities. Since our employees are our most valuable resource, we are dedicated to giving them a secure and healthy workplace. Our operations are set up with the professional development and general wellbeing of our personnel as a top priority, he continued.
APR’s top management is frequently questioned regarding the fact that, although being a considerably younger company than its global competitors, What distinguishes it from its counterparts in a market that is so fiercely competitive around the world? What are your main advantages and strengths? In response to the queries, Kamba stated: “At APR, we have made significant technological investments to guarantee the circularity of our activities. This has made it possible for us to produce viscose at a high level. Utilising fibre from renewable plantations that are sustainably managed is one of our key strengths, thanks to our sister company APRIL. Due to the plentiful sunlight and rain in the equatorial climate, these farmed trees can be harvested in five years. Additionally, we employ scientific techniques to cut our product’s carbon intensity per tonne of viscose staple fibre from our fibre life-cycle by 50% and maintain 100% of our mill’s capacity. energy derived from clean, renewable sources. Our effective chemical recovery procedures also enable us to recover and recycle the energy and chemicals utilised in the production of viscose.
“More than 90% of the chemicals used in the process can be recovered utilising adsorption and condensation techniques. He said that any leftover chemicals were handled with the best methods before being safely disposed of.
“Finally, because we’ve adopted a circular or closed-loop approach, we generate the least amount of trash and emissions while using continually recycled or sustainably obtained raw materials. This procedure results in greater operating efficiencies, such as lowering water intake and raw material consumption and optimising chemical recovery to limit and restrict waste output. It also contributes to a circular economy. By continuing to invest in We are able to become “closed loop” in some areas of our plant thanks to the optimisation of manufacturing processes, he said. Basrie Kamba claims that APR collaborates closely with the spinners who provide their viscose fibre to manufacturers of textiles and apparel all over the world.
“As a major participant in the viscose-rayon market, our goods are well regarded by clients wishing to use premium, sustainable materials in their creations. We are happy to work with a variety of well-known brands and companies in the textile and retail industries, and we are constantly looking for new collaborations and business possibilities to broaden our influence and reach. – Basrie Kamba, Director and President of APR
Sustainability Strategy for APR 2030
Kamba elaborated on the business’s concept and focus on sustainability, saying: “At APR, sustainability is important. to all that we do. We have a strong commitment to attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and incorporating them into our core values. We think that what is ultimately beneficial to the business is also beneficial to the community, the nation, the environment, and the customer. This ideology guides our sustainability strategy.
Our ambitious APR 2030 sustainability strategy, which sets our priorities and goals for the coming ten years, was introduced in November 2021. Being climate and nature positive, assuring clean and closed-loop manufacturing, increasing circularity, and fostering inclusive prosperity are the four core commitments that our approach is built around. Being climate and nature positive requires us to improve our positive impact on the environment by protecting and preserving it, in addition to reducing our carbon footprint. ecosystems in their natural state. A circular system where resources are continuously reused and little waste and contamination in our manufacturing processes are required to provide clean and closed-loop manufacturing, the expert continued.
“Accelerating circularity means we want to go towards a circular economy and increase the proportion of recycled material in our products. Last but not least, we will strive to improve the wellbeing of our workers, clients, and the communities in which we operate. These pledges are a cornerstone of our long-term strategy for a sustainable future, and we are always looking for new and creative ways to advance our sustainability efforts,” he said.The business has high hopes for its future in the Indian market. “The textile and apparel sector in India is crucial for APR. We desire to take part in the expanding textile industry in India. We have already sent some of our VSF to our customers in India. We will collaborate with the local spinners there to provide for their needs, since India plans to export textiles worth USD 100 billion by 2030. Our goal is to accompany them on their trip, Kambe said. APR has a number of well-considered future ambitions. Kamba said: “In the past four years since our operation, APR has been consistently producing high-quality VSF for the both home and abroad market. This is in line with our aim for 2030 in terms of worldwide business and expansion. We now have a 300,000 tonne yearly production capability instead of the previous 240,000 tonne capacity. APR is presently a dominant force on the Indonesian VSF market.
To increase quality and efficiency and fulfil the rising demand for our products, “we have been working closely with our customers and partners in Indonesia and abroad.”
“Over the past five years, we have also continually generated value for our stakeholders and driven innovation in the production of sustainable fibres. In order to increase quality and efficiency and satisfy the rising demand for our products, we have been closely collaborating with our clients and partners in Indonesia and overseas. Our goals for the future are to turn our pledges into deeds that meet urgent requirements, like the creation of jobs, and to keep playing a vital part in assisting Indonesia’s textile and apparel industry’s expansion. Our aggressive APR He concluded the conversation on a positive note, saying, “Our 2030 sustainability plan sets our priorities and ambitions for the next seven years, and we are convinced that it will help us continue on this trajectory towards sustainable growth for business and the environment.
