Pundi Artha Ghani | Solution partner of measurements in interfacial chemistry: Kyowa Interface Science

PT. Pundi Artha Ghani / Indonesia

Introduction of Pt. Pundi Artha Ghani (PAG)

Nelisha/Kyowa: Dear Irfan, please give us an insight into your company, PAG.

Mr.Irfan/PAG: PAG was established in 2014, a part of the group established in 2000 as a company providing testing equipment for rubber, paper, and plastics. It is based in Jakarta and mainly consists of marketing and technical personnel. Since aftersales service is primarily related to the technical stuff, our technical personnel with various technical backgrounds are in charge of it, and we call them “TASS”, technical and aftersales service. Our marketing team is called a marketing engineer, as they all come from engineering backgrounds.

Backstory: How PAG encountered Kyowa

How did you meet Kyowa?

In 2018, I (Mr. Irfan, director of PAG) attended JASIS (Japan Analytical and Scientific Instruments Show), where I came across Kyowa. It was something new, but I saw potential, and we started communicating more often, then became Kyowa’s distributor in Indonesia the same year.

Before meeting us in JASIS 2018, did you stumble upon your then client that used instruments like surface tensiometer and contact angle meter, or did you discover our company in the exhibition?

At that time, I did not intend to find any contact angle meter; instead, I had a meeting appointment with another company for testing equipment. Among many companies in the exhibition, I came across Kyowa’s booth, and after some interaction, I saw potential in the instrument.

As mentioned before, it was something new for us. So, we have to adapt it, which takes time. Also, even though paper, rubber, and plastics are some of the measurement samples of surface tensiometers and contact angle meters, not all of our previous clients are interested in them. Hence, we must find our target clients and build a new base for Kyowa’s products. Initially, it was not easy. But then, at that time, I interacted a lot with Kyowa’s team for a better understanding and then came to training, which made this time training a second time.

The purpose of this year’s training

Can you elaborate on your purpose for this training, and do you feel you can accomplish it?

The purpose of this training is to gain more knowledge of the products. So, I brought one marketing member to enhance sales and two technical members. That being said, the knowledge/information can be transferred through emails or telephones. So, another (hidden) purpose is to obtain something possible only through the interactions between two companies in person; we value it more than just interactions through media.
We are lucky enough to be trained by Mr. Sekine and Ms. Nelisha, a combination of seniors and juniors of Kyowa. We have already completed training on the DY and DM series in the past two days, and hopefully, we can cover the rest tomorrow and fulfill our purpose of coming here. Furthermore, I hope we can enhance our business, strengthen our relationships, and have these events/curricula more often.

Thank you very much. Is there any particular interaction/event where you felt you made a close bond within these two days?

I can’t think of one, but I think we got to know better about the character of the person in charge, which isn’t possible through mail alone, and grew close bonds with them. In addition, we don’t have any Kyowa instruments in Jakarta. So, this opportunity allowed our technical members to conduct experiments and learn more about it.

What’s next

We understand that the clients are different from your usual ones. How challenging is it to sell our products?

It was challenging for us then (2018), but our team has an engineering background, as I mentioned before. They grasp the information/knowledge of Kyowa’s products via catalogs, videos, and training. Last time, I brought one of my technical team for the training, and he transferred all the information and knowledge he gained to other team members. Looking back, 2018-2019 was our adaptation (to Kyowa) phase, and then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, which was hard for us. This is because the research field of Indonesia is mainly covered by the government, apart from the private companies, and during the pandemic, it was not good budget-wise. So, I think there were no sales. We just came out of the pandemic and have made a few orders.

I see. Would you mind sharing the plans for selling our instruments?

Regarding marketing plans, we identify the clients interested in Kyowa’s products. As for some Japanese companies in Indonesia, Kyowa is well known and is like a low-hanging fruit. Besides Japanese companies, we target institutes and universities—especially universities, as Mr. Shio Kamei inspired me by demonstrating Kyowa’s products to the students on my previous visit. I understood that it could be used for an educational purpose, too. Usually, we visit our clients and do presentations. So, next time, we will probably invite the president of Kyowa or Kyowa’s team to meet and greet our clients or potential clients, which is quite convincing to the clients.
 

Expectations for Kyowa

What are PAG’s strengths and weaknesses against the rival company? And, from your point of view, what are the strengths and weaknesses of Kyowa?

The group that PAG is in started in 2000 and was already selling scientific/testing equipment. So, we already have a significant client base in Indonesia, and our marketing team is covering the whole of Indonesia from Jakarta. Another strong point is that our marketing team is from various regions, which breaks down the cultural barrier and brings our clients closer. And finally, after-sales service is conducted by our technical team, who are qualified to calibrate most of the equipment. The weak point of PAG is that we are not a big company; the group is family business-oriented, and I am the company’s second generation. Other big companies are dealing with colossal brands. Although Kyowa was established before PAG and before PAG became a distributor of Kyowa products, Kyowa’s competitors were already in Indonesia, making it more challenging for us. We are a latecomer in this field. That’s why we try to convince others that Kyowa’s interfacial science products exist.

From my point of view, Kyowa’s weakness is that the innovation of the products is slower than that of the competitors in the interfacial science field. I understand that you want to ensure the product’s applicability before launching, which takes time but is a double-edged sword. Initially, communication was an issue a little bit, but it’s already improved. You now have a new generation, Ms. Nelisha, who communicates well. Related to it, even though the person in charge of Kyowa’s team changes, the vision and approach remain the same, which omits the fear/worry of interactions not going well and the anxiety of starting over again. As a result, I feel like Kyowa is a good company with a good culture. I am pleased with that. So, the strength of Kyowa is treating people well; the work culture is excellent. Regarding products, I think giving more options, various types in one series, is a strength. Of course, the clients want the best product at the lowest price, which is very difficult. So, because of the various options, we can tell clients that even though we cannot give you the best product, we can provide the right one with the best price.

If we combine the weaknesses and strengths of Kyowa, you can enhance the series to give more products. I came across some products that are sold nationwide only. So, maybe introducing those kinds of products overseas can be a start.

I am very glad to hear that - thank you for your honest opinion. Are there any requests you would like to make for us?

Most detailed information is still in Japanese. So, making it available in English would be a plus. Another one is engaging/being active in social media or making videos on the products to educate or to approach the clients. Also, having application notes in English would drastically benefit us. Finally, I have seen that the English browser is less complete than the Japanese. So, it would be nice to have a complete English one and a catalog with all the Kyowa products that include specifications.

I also request that you issue a “Certificate of Origin” certified by the “Japan Chamber of Commerce”. And finally, make a “Calibration Certificate” attached to the instrument as a standard. Having these certificates can benefit our clients and gain more trust from them.

Thank you for your honest opinions and your requests. We would like to answer as much as possible. Finally, thank you very much for taking the time to talk with us today.