Driving sustainable forestry in Indonesia: expanding Katam’s operations in the country

In August, Katam’s team visited new customers in Indonesia, a country renowned for its rich culture and vast tropical forests. Indonesia is estimated to have around 90 million hectares of total forest area, making it home to one of the largest tropical forest regions on the planet.

The industrial sector is one of the largest contributors to Indonesia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Among these industries is the pulp sector, which plays an important role in the Indonesian economy, currently placing the country among the top 10 producers worldwide. One advantage is the short, five-year planting cycle for harvesting eucalyptus and acacia trees, that support the country’s crucial pulp and paper industry. The main export destinations for Indonesia’s pulp production are China, Korea, India, Bangladesh, and Japan. The sawn timber and oleoresin market are also important forest sectors.

The country has great forestry potential, but faces challenges on the path to sustainability, which is why we are in the country. Indonesia is seeking to modernize and advance with forest certification, reducing the effects of illegal logging, increasing data transparency and social responsibility. We want to work with companies that are committed to this positive change.

While each country presents unique challenges, Katam is committed to gaining a deeper understanding of Indonesia’s specific context in order to effectively adapt its technology, replicating the success achieved in Brazil. As part of our growth strategy, we are actively expanding our team and currently hiring new talent to support these international initiatives.