Propan Raya: Innovation and Sustainability in Paint Industry
In 1979, after completing his studies at the University of Stuttgart, Germany, Dr. Hendra Adidarma – Dipl. Chemiker returned to Indonesia. Observing the poor quality of conventional furniture paint, he developed an innovative “Wood and Rattan Finishing System,” offering easier application, faster drying, and enhanced wood protection.
This innovation led to Propan Raya’s success, expanding into architectural paints, metal protective coatings, polymer flooring, waterproof coatings, plastic coatings, and automotive refinishing paints. With a vision to become a world-class surface coatings and construction chemicals company, Propan Raya consistently innovates, researches, and develops high-quality, affordable products.
Now, Hendra has expanded Propan’s focus to architectural paints using Rapid Production System (RPS) technology, making it the only company in the Asia-Pacific region utilizing this advanced system.
Committed to sustainability, Hendra supports Indonesia’s “Save the Planet” initiative, developing eco-friendly water-based paints to replace solvent-based alternatives. The Indonesian furniture industry alone emits around 180,000 mT/year of solvents, contributing to global warming. Despite the lack of government regulations on Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Propan Raya took the initiative with its “Go to Water-based, Save the Planet” campaign.
Since the launch of Propan’s water-based paints in 2016, the products have gained strong market acceptance and continue to grow in popularity. These efforts align with the company’s mission to support environmental sustainability while maintaining high product performance.
Today, Propan Raya is a key supplier of water-based coating systems for IKEA furniture in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, solidifying its role as an innovative leader in the global paint industry.