Manufacturing Momentum Drives Laboratory Industry Growth, Projected to Reach $3.1 Billion by 2027
Of the approximately 10,500 laboratories operating in Indonesia, 2,000 are already accredited. This achievement positions Indonesia as number one in Asia in the field of laboratories and number four in the world. The assessment is based on quantity as well as continuous improvements in quality, including accreditation.
This was stated by the Deputy for Accreditation of the National Standardisation Agency (BSN) and Secretary of the National Accreditation Committee (KAN), Wahyu Purbowasito, in Tangerang on Wednesday (1/3).
These 10,500 laboratories serve fields such as medical, pharmaceutical, education, industry, to academic and scientific research. The laboratory industry market in Indonesia is projected to reach more than $3.1 billion by 2027.
“Indonesia is not only superior in terms of the number of laboratories, but also in various development efforts, including accreditation. Nevertheless, the number of accredited laboratories needs to be continuously increased so that they can more optimally play their role in driving innovation and enhancing national competitiveness,” said Wahyu.
Optimism in the laboratory sector is also evident in the organisation of the Lab Indonesia 2026 exhibition, which will be held for the eighth time on 15–17 April at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) BSD City, Tangerang. Deputy Event Director of PT Pamerindo Indonesia, the organiser of Lab Indonesia 2026, Kristi Wulandari, explained that the exhibition, held every two years, will be attended by 697 laboratory industry players, with 447 from within the country and 250 from abroad. From around the world, they come from China, Finland, Hong Kong, India, the UK, Italy, Japan, Germany, South Korea, to the United States. They will occupy an area of 14,580 m², while the number of visitors is expected to reach 15,000 people from professionals, students, and academics. The number of participants is a 55% increase compared to the previous exhibition.
“Products to be showcased include instruments, scientific equipment, laboratory consumables, testing, research & development, to quality assurance and quality control. In addition, there will be updates related to biotechnology, environmental testing, to pharmaceutical testing. The latest technologies are directed towards laboratory analysis systems that are more precise, efficient, and compliant with global standards,” said Kristi Wulandari.
Chairman of the Indonesian Chemical Association (HKI) Jakarta, Afrizal, stated that in Indonesia, the need for laboratory services and technology continues to increase, in line with the growth of the manufacturing industry and demands for improved production quality, quality control, and compliance with regulatory standards.
“Indonesia has great potential such as biodiversity, mineral resources, and talented young human resources, but still faces challenges such as dependency on imported equipment, minimal research downstreaming, fragmentation between institutions, and lack of collaboration with industry. To address this, an integrated research pathway is needed from universities, standard laboratories, to industry to produce intellectual property,” said Afrizal.
In addition to featuring various laboratory technology companies, the exhibition will also host various discussion forums for industry stakeholders, regulators, and the scientific community to discuss the direction of laboratory development in Indonesia. Among them is the topic ‘Green Laboratory: Mission Possible’ in the Lab Forum session featuring the Labmania Indonesia team, Hokcu Suhanda. In addition, the exhibition also implements sustainability principles by inviting visually impaired individuals to provide massage services, providing water dispensers, and processing post-event partition waste to be handled by recycling service vendors.