Pupuk Kalimantan Timur
An Indonesian fertilizer and industrial chemicals producer headquartered in Bontang, East Kalimantan.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Pupuk Kalimantan Timur, commonly known as Pupuk Kaltim or PKT, is an Indonesian fertilizer producer based in Bontang, East Kalimantan. The company is a subsidiary of PT Pupuk Indonesia Holding Company and forms part of Indonesia’s strategic fertilizer manufacturing system. Its principal industrial complex produces ammonia and urea, while additional facilities manufacture compound NPK fertilizers and organic fertilizer products. The company’s operations are closely associated with Indonesia’s agricultural supply chain, where nitrogen and compound fertilizers are used to support crop production and national food-security objectives. PKT originated in a fertilizer project initially developed with floating production facilities on vessels owned by Pertamina. Technical and policy considerations led to the relocation of the project from an offshore arrangement to a land-based industrial site. Management responsibility subsequently moved from Pertamina to Indonesia’s Ministry of Industry. PT Pupuk Kalimantan Timur was formally established on December 7, 1977, on a site in Bontang that covered approximately 493 hectares. Natural gas supplied by pipeline from the Muara Badak area, around 60 kilometers from the plant, became the principal feedstock for the company’s ammonia and urea production. The company expanded through a series of large-scale production units. Construction of the Kaltim-1 plant began in 1979, followed by Kaltim-2 in the early 1980s and Kaltim-3 in 1986. Kaltim-2 entered commercial operation before Kaltim-1 and both units were inaugurated in 1984. Kaltim-3 was inaugurated in 1989. PKT also installed a urea-formaldehyde facility to improve the quality of its urea output. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, further investment increased the company’s capacity and allowed it to use ammonia and carbon dioxide streams more efficiently. The POPKA project, completed in 1999, converted residual ammonia and carbon dioxide into granular urea. PKT’s product portfolio extends beyond conventional urea. Its ammonia is primarily an intermediate for urea manufacturing, while urea is sold in bulk and granular forms. The NPK Pelangi range provides compound fertilizers with combinations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium for different agricultural applications. The company also produces Zeorganik, an organic fertilizer designed to add organic carbon and mineral components to soil, improve soil fertility and cation-exchange capacity, and support more efficient use of inorganic fertilizer. Manufacturing activity is concentrated in Bontang for ammonia and urea, while NPK facilities operate in Bontang, Semarang, and Surabaya. Organic fertilizer production has been distributed across several Indonesian regions. Reference material describes a production system with approximately 2.98 million tonnes of annual urea capacity, 2.51 million tonnes of ammonia capacity in the listed plant-unit table, and 350,000 tonnes of NPK capacity; figures and plant configurations vary by reporting period and source. The company has also been associated with Publik Khatulistiwa TV, a local television station based in Bontang. PKT has received recognition for industrial safety, production performance, export activity, community development, and environmental and laboratory management. Its documented certifications and recognitions include ISO 9002, ISO 14001, and ISO 17025-related accreditation, as well as awards from Indonesian authorities and international industrial and safety organizations. The brand is positioned primarily as a large, technically capable, nationally important fertilizer manufacturer rather than as a consumer-facing agricultural retail brand.
History
Pupuk Kalimantan Timur began as an Indonesian fertilizer-development project connected to Pertamina. In 1977, the initial concept used floating fertilizer facilities on two Pertamina-owned ships. Government decisions concerning project administration and technical suitability moved the undertaking to a land-based site in Bontang, East Kalimantan. Management was transferred from Pertamina to the Ministry of Industry, and PT Pupuk Kalimantan Timur was formally established on December 7, 1977. The selected industrial area covered approximately 493 hectares and had previously been largely forested. The Bontang complex was designed around natural gas feedstock transported by pipeline from Muara Badak, approximately 60 kilometers away. This integration of gas supply, ammonia synthesis, and urea production became the foundation of PKT’s industrial model. Construction of the Kaltim-1 plant began in 1979. Kaltim-2 followed in the early 1980s and was completed ahead of schedule. Kaltim-2 entered commercial operation in 1984, before Kaltim-1’s reported commercial start in 1987. President Soeharto inaugurated the first two plants on October 28, 1984. Construction of Kaltim-3 began in 1986, and the unit was inaugurated on April 4, 1989. A urea-formaldehyde unit, identified as UFC-85, was also developed with an annual capacity reported at 13,000 tonnes to improve the quality of the company’s urea output. During the 1990s, PKT pursued projects intended to increase output and extract more value from existing process streams. The POPKA urea unit was initiated on November 20, 1996, and completed on April 12, 1999. It was designed to use residual ammonia and carbon dioxide that might otherwise have been released, producing granular urea with a projected annual capacity of 570,000 tonnes. The project was reported to have required an investment of US$44 million and Rp139 billion, although those figures belong to the historical project context rather than to current company finances. Kaltim-4 was developed from 1999 onward. Its reported design included 570,000 tonnes of annual granular-urea capacity and 330,000 tonnes of annual ammonia capacity. The urea section was completed in mid-2002 and the ammonia section in early 2003. PKT also entered compound-fertilizer production through a fuse-blending NPK facility established in Bontang in 2007, using phosphate material imported from Morocco. The company later planned Kaltim-5 as a larger and more efficient production unit intended to replace the aging Kaltim-1 facility. Reference material describes projected Kaltim-5 capacity of about 1.15 to 1.2 million tonnes of urea and approximately 600,000 to 850,000 tonnes of ammonia, depending on the cited project specification. Because the available reference material presents the project as planned or under development, its completion and current operating status should not be assumed without a newer company source. PKT’s manufacturing footprint expanded beyond Bontang through NPK facilities in Semarang and Surabaya and organic-fertilizer activity in several Indonesian regions. Its portfolio came to include bulk and granular urea, ammonia, NPK Pelangi products, and Zeorganik organic fertilizer. The company has also reported industrial-support capabilities involving factory equipment and laboratory testing. PKT’s documented institutional history includes recognition for ammonia-production performance, occupational safety, exports, community development, and environmental and quality systems. Awards and certifications referenced for different periods include a British Safety Council safety recognition, ISO 9002 for production and installation management, ISO 14001 for environmental management, and ISO 17025-related laboratory accreditation. The company is part of the Pupuk Indonesia group and continues to occupy a strategic role in Indonesia’s fertilizer industry.
- 2007
NPK fuse-blending facility established
[1]PKT established an NPK fuse-blending facility in Bontang, using phosphate inputs imported from Morocco.
- 2003
Kaltim-4 ammonia section completed
[1]The ammonia section of Kaltim-4 was completed in early 2003.
- 2002
Kaltim-4 urea section completed
[1]The urea section of Kaltim-4 was completed in mid-2002.
- 1999
POPKA completed and Kaltim-4 development advanced
[1]The POPKA facility was completed on April 12, 1999. Kaltim-4 development also began around this period.
- 1996
POPKA project initiated
[1]PKT began construction of the POPKA granular-urea unit to use residual ammonia and carbon dioxide streams.
- 1989
Kaltim-3 inaugurated
[1]The Kaltim-3 plant was inaugurated on April 4, 1989.
- 1987
Kaltim-1 commercial operation
[1]The Kaltim-1 plant began its reported commercial operating period.
- 1984
Kaltim-2 entered operation and the first plants were inaugurated
[1]Kaltim-2 entered commercial operation, and Kaltim-1 and Kaltim-2 were inaugurated by President Soeharto on October 28.
- 1979
Kaltim-1 construction began
[1]Construction began on the first major Kaltim production unit.
- 1977
PT Pupuk Kalimantan Timur established
[1]PKT was formally established on December 7, 1977, in Bontang, East Kalimantan.
Products and positioning
A strategic Indonesian producer of nitrogen and compound fertilizers, combining large-scale ammonia and urea manufacturing with agricultural-input products and industrial capabilities.
Nitrogen fertilizer
Urea
PKT’s principal nitrogen-fertilizer product, manufactured in bulk and granular forms. Urea is produced from ammonia and carbon dioxide and supplies nitrogen for agricultural applications. The company’s urea system includes several Kaltim production units and the POPKA granular-urea project, which was designed to improve use of residual process streams.
Industrial chemical and fertilizer intermediate
Ammonia
Ammonia is produced from nitrogen and hydrogen and serves mainly as the feedstock for PKT’s urea manufacturing. It is also an important industrial chemical in its own right. PKT’s Bontang complex integrates ammonia production with downstream urea facilities and relies on piped natural gas as a principal raw material.
Compound fertilizer
NPK Pelangi
NPK Pelangi is PKT’s branded compound-fertilizer family, formulated to provide balanced combinations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Reference material identifies variants including Pelangi MAXI, UNGGUL, PRIMA, and SUPER. The range is intended for different crop and farming requirements and is produced through PKT’s NPK manufacturing network.
Organic fertilizer
Zeorganik
Zeorganik is an organic-fertilizer product containing organic-carbon components and mineral materials. Its stated agricultural purpose is to improve soil fertility and cation-exchange capacity, support more efficient use of inorganic fertilizers, and help reduce water loss from soil. Production has been associated with several Indonesian regions.
Fertilizer-quality and process product
Urea-formaldehyde fertilizer additive
PKT developed the UFC-85 urea-formaldehyde unit to improve the quality characteristics of its urea output. The historical reference describes an annual capacity of 13,000 tonnes for the unit, though its current operating status is not confirmed in the available material.
Sources1 sources
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