Rudy Efendy
IPMI International Business School
Amelia Naim Indrajaya
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Our blue planet called earth consists of 67% water and 33% land. Of that 67%, 97% is sea water and only 3% is fresh. The 3% of fresh water includes 35% that is underground or in rivers and lakes. The other 65% is stored in the form of ice at the poles. Out of this 35% available in rivers, lakes, and underground, only 68% can be consumed. The remaining 32% is not consumable. Having realized that clean tap water is lacking, especially in a developing country like Indonesia, Pak Pieter and his partner decided to distill water. Their goal is to make all the tap water in Indonesia consumable. This will prevent the current dependency on bottled mineral water.
In 2010, Pak Pieter and his partner founded PT Stirta. The vision is that this will be the global leader in water treatment systems. Their mission is answering global water needs, especially in developing countries like Indonesia that lack clean water.
PT Stirta offers a product called Aquane. This innovation is made locally as part of 'Blue Ocean Strategy,' and it competes against an existing filtration product from 3M. Aquane's potentially disruptive impact comes from its lower cost, higher quality, and greater durability (up to six times longer than the competition).
Aquane is a multiple-filter assembly designed to eliminate particles and bad odors. The sediment filter eliminates solid particles such as dust, rust, small grains of sand, and other pollutants greater than 5 microns. The pre-carbon filter absorbs chemical substances including chlorine, carcinogens, detergents, insecticides, and other harmful organic substances. The membrane filter eliminates harmful pollutants down to 1/1000 of a micron. This filter also cleans bacteria, viruses, parasites, and germs. The post-carbon filter absorbs odor and prevents the growth of micro-organisms in the water.
Pak Pieter shared the following insight: "We need to take [an] active role in making this earth a good place to live in, as much as we need to support in any effort in providing clean water--as water is one of the most critical needs for any living species to survive and keep on living. By creating this innovation, it will give hope to mankind in ensuring the availability of clean water on earth."
Indonesia has a population of more than 250 million, but providing potable water to many people--especially those in remote areas--is still unaffordable. Hence, Pieter, an associate lecturer at IPMI, and his business partner started to think about how to produce an instrument that can purify water using local materials at a lower cost than the competition.
In 2010, a small business was launched to begin producing the filtration system on the basis of a well-received prototype. PT Stirta's philosophy is to make people healthier. Its vision is to be the global leader in water treatment systems. Its mission is responding to the global need for water. And integrity is its key value.
Pak Pieter and his business partner are supporting the MDGs by empowering people to access clean water without depending on government services.
SP Stirta is providing a commercial solution to the scarcity of clean water in Indonesia. Healthy water will reduce lethal diseases and increase life expectancy. In the process, it has created jobs based on demand for local products while decreasing dependency on imports.
This innovative product's affordable pricing made it popular, and PT Stirta already has 100 employees. Its product is used in residential houses, service apartments, coffee shops, restaurants, and even shopping malls in Indonesia. Though it began as a 10 million IDR business, it now has sales of 20 billion IDR and revenue of 2 billion IDR annually.
SP Stirta is contributing to a healthier environment, which will reduce medical costs and promote longer, happier lives. It is also creating good local jobs.
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Pieter Andrian, Director
