Astra Foundation is once again participating in the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show, or GIIAS, 2026 series by presenting a showcase of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, or MSMEs, Small and Medium Industries, or SMIs, and superior human resources development as a manifestation of its commitment to strengthening the national automotive industry ecosystem. These various initiatives were introduced to the media in a press conference held today, Tuesday, August 4, at the Astra Foundation Booth, in the Selasar Convention Hall, Hall Nusantara, ICE BSD, Tangerang, as part of the GIIAS 2026 series which runs until August 9, 2026.
Carrying the theme Astra Foundation Supports the Automotive Industry Ecosystem, this event presents the synergy of two institutions under the Astra Foundation, namely Astra Foundation - Dharma Bhakti Astra Foundation, or YDBA, and ASTRAtech, to share stories about their long-term commitment to strengthening the national automotive industry ecosystem, both in terms of fostering MSMEs/SMIs and developing human resources. Also present as speakers in the sharing and Q and A session with the media were the Chairman of the Astra Foundation - YDBA Board of Executives Rahmat Samulo, Director of ASTRAtech Henri Paul, Owner of PT Arkha Industries which is a Manufacturing MSME fostered by Astra Foundation - YDBA Mad Ali Haris, and an alumnus of the ASTRAtech Astra Meister Program who now serves as Workshop Supervisor at PT Astra International Tbk - BMW Sales Operation, Wisnu Prasetyo.
Government Support Strengthens the Commitment to Automotive Industry Ecosystem Development
The Astra Foundation Booth also received visits from the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa and the Minister of Industry of the Republic of Indonesia Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita during the GIIAS 2026 series. On this occasion, the two ministers directly inspected various programs presented by the Astra Foundation through the Astra Foundation - Dharma Bhakti Astra Foundation and ASTRAtech, ranging from the results of fostering manufacturing MSMEs/SMIs to the development of superior human resources for the automotive industry.
The visit serves as a form of appreciation and support for the collaboration between the industrial world, vocational education, and the government in strengthening the competitiveness of the national automotive industry. Through sustainable MSME/SMI fostering and the development of industry-standard vocational talents, the Astra Foundation remains committed to making a real contribution to building a stronger industry supply chain and preparing superior human resources ready to meet future industry needs.
Fostered MSMEs Level Up, PT Arkha Industries Indonesia Proves the Impact of YDBA Fostering
PT Arkha Industries Indonesia, or Arkha, an automotive manufacturing MSME with core competencies in plastic and metal painting processes, has been an MSME fostered by the Astra Foundation YDBA since 2022. Through mentoring focused on improving Quality, Cost, and Delivery, or QCD, aspects, the company successfully transformed to win the 2024 Best Independent MSME award and became a tier 1 supplier for PT Astra Komponen Indonesia, or ASKI, after going through an audit process of production capacity, quality standards, and Occupational Health and Safety. Products resulting from Arkha painting competencies were also displayed at the Astra Foundation Booth during GIIAS 2026.
Owner of PT Arkha Industries Indonesia, Mad Ali Haris, stated that since being fostered by Astra Foundation YDBA, their business journey has changed drastically. They were directly guided to improve their business foundation, especially QCD discipline, starting from maintaining painting quality to achieve zero defects, cost efficiency, to timely delivery.
Ali Haris added that becoming a tier 1 ASKI supplier is a strategic achievement. This status proves that local MSMEs are very capable of entering and competing in the national automotive industry supply chain, provided they are willing to improve and follow high industry standards.
A similar sentiment was conveyed by the Chairman of the Astra Foundation - Dharma Bhakti Astra Foundation, Rahmat Samulo, who noted that through the Astra Foundation - Dharma Bhakti Astra Foundation, Astra continues to mentor MSMEs so they can level up. The story of PT Arkha Industries Indonesia is clear proof of this commitment. Established in 2014 with an annual turnover of under IDR 2 billion per year and dozens of employees, PT Arkha Industries Indonesia was still classified as a Micro enterprise. Since being fostered by Astra Foundation YDBA in 2022, the turnover in 2025 reached IDR 34.96 billion with a workforce of 221 employees. Arkha, which is now a Medium enterprise, has a factory area of 17,000 square meters. This achievement confirms that with consistent fostering, fostered MSMEs are ready to compete and meet the high standards in the national automotive industry supply chain.
ASTRAtech Produces Superior Automotive Industry Talents Through the German Meister Standard Program
In addition to presenting MSME/SMI fostering, the Astra Foundation through ASTRAtech develops superior human resources through the ASTRAtech Dual System, a learning model that integrates the educational process on campus with competency deepening and character development from the beginning directly in the Astra Group industry and by various partners.
Director of ASTRAtech, Henri Paul, explained that ASTRAtech continues to strengthen collaboration with various stakeholders, especially the industrial world. He expressed the desire for ASTRAtech students to experience the industrial world atmosphere represented in their practical learning from the very first day of lectures. All teaching materials are created together with the industry, and in their final year, students are sent to participate in internship programs, one of which is at an SMI fostered by Astra Foundation-YDBA, thereby building the ecosystem or student competencies in a real way.
Not only with the industry, ASTRAtech also partners with various associations. One of its flagship programs is the Bachelor Professional Automotive Mechatronics, a German Meister-standard program that has been held since 2019 in collaboration with Handwerkskammer, or HWK, Koblenz, Zentralverband Deutsches Kraftfahrzeuggewerbe, or ZDK, Germany, and AHK-EKONID. This program lasts for ten months with competencies tested directly by assessors from Germany.
One clear proof of the success of this program is the career journey of Wisnu Prasetyo, an alumnus of the Astra Meister Program who now serves as Workshop Supervisor of PT Astra International Tbk - BMW Sales Operation. Before joining the program, Wisnu held the responsibility of Technical Advisor.
Wisnu stated that for him, Astra Meister is not just a technical competency development program, but it also shapes ways of thinking and leadership. The program broadened his insights into the dynamics of the automotive business, taught various leadership approaches that can be applied flexibly in the field, and improved his ability to handle customers more effectively. This knowledge became one of the factors supporting his career development from Technical Advisor to being entrusted as a Workshop Supervisor.
The public can visit the Astra Foundation YDBA x ASTRAtech Booth at the Selasar Convention Hall, Hall Nusantara, ICE BSD until GIIAS 2026 ends on August 9, 2026, and can see firsthand the various MSME/SMI fostering and human resources development programs presented by the Astra Foundation.
