PT PLN (Persero) Jasa Enjiniring strives for excellence
PT PLN (Persero) Jasa Enjiniring strives for excellence
BANNERS bearing slogans urging employees to maintain the
pursuit of excellence still adorn the walls of PT PLN (Persero)
Jasa Enjiniring's boardroom at its headquarters in Petamburan,
Central Jakarta.
A big chunk of the battle in achieving international standards
is already won.
A week ago today, PT PLN (Persero) Jasa Enjiniring was
officially granted the ISO 9001. This exacting and comprehensive
international certification covers feasibility study, design,
evaluation of proposals, contract preparation, design approval
for thermal, hydro and diesel power generation, as well as
transmission and distribution of power projects.
The company's employees have reason to be satisfied after the
successful completion of their 10-month drive. Attaining the ISO
9001 is considered even more demanding in some circles than the
ISO 9002 standard because it also covers design.
The award provides confidence for clients with regard to the
fulfillment of the standards they demand.
For PT PLN (Persero) Jasa Enjiniring, the certification was a
necessity in preparing for globalization and the booming use of
electric products and appliances by Indonesian consumers,
according to the company's general manager, Mekar Napitupulu.
Many lending institutions still require the engagement of an
accredited foreign engineering consultant for major power
projects in Indonesia and other countries.
This presented a stumbling block for PT PLN (Persero) Jasa
Enjiniring in expansion of its projects, even though its corps of
engineers was already qualified to handle many electrical
engineering assignments.
"In facing globalization, we realized that we had to prepare,"
says the ebullient Napitupulu, the executive who spearheaded the
company's ISO 9001 campaign.
"One way to do this is through gaining an international
certification, and that's where the ISO 9001 came in."
So began PT PLN (Persero) Jasa Enjiniring's implementation and
adherence to the certification standards in September of last
year. Management leadership and commitment was integral in
leading the campaign, as David A. Buck from SGS, the certifying
agent for the ISO in Indonesia, pointed out during his speech at
PT PLN (Persero) Jasa's presentation ceremony.
Not to be overlooked was the dedication of the project
management team.
"No matter how committed top management might be, without the
dedication of the project management teams, very little will ever
be achieved," Buck said.
"If motivation is not to wither, or progress to slow and the
project become moribund, then dedication is a must. The project
teams are, therefore, the driving force between the commitment
and the work."
Buck urged the company to maintain its excellent standards.
Under the ISO QMS regulations, PT PLN (Persero) Jasa will
continue to be audited every six months to ensure regulations are
still in place and functioning.
"Thus, there is no room for complacency, for 'quality' is one
of those properties that has to be cared for each and every day
if standards are not to slip," Buck said.
"However, I am certain that by their dedication to achieve
this award, the determination of both the management and staff of
PT PLN (Persero) Jasa will also be the path to maintaining the
very high standards they have set themselves."
Founding
Simple reasons of practicality and cost management were behind
PT PLN (Persero) Jasa Enjiniring's founding in 1985.
It was a deliberate effort to reduce dependability on costly
foreign consultants, to show that the most thorough knowledge of
Indonesia's electrical needs is to be found within its own
borders, and to make the company a center of excellence in
Indonesia.
Use of foreign consultants can be exorbitant, Napitupulu says,
sending costs spiraling "five to six times that of local
consultants". Engineering costs usually run between 6 percent to
9 percent of a total project budget.
The firm's activities began in earnest in 1988, when it sought
a foreign company to assist in training and project start-ups.
A shortlist of 10 major international engineering companies
was examined thoroughly, and from that, the Bechtel Corporation,
headquartered in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, was selected, with
funding provided through the World Bank.
This relationship, encompassing project cooperation and
training at Bechtel's U.S. plants, has proven "very productive",
Napitupulu says.
It is also a shining example of the principle of transfer of
technology from an established company to a fledgling
counterpart.
Originally intended merely as an in-house engineering branch
of state electricity company PLN, PT PLN (Persero) Jasa
Enjiniring altered its status to a general service firm last year
in line with its increased capabilities.
"We often receive requests for assistance from local
engineering consultants," Napitupulu says. "I think they
recognize that our knowledge of the Indonesian sector is second
to none."
Training
The firm also realizes that an unstinting regard for training
and enhancement of skills is essential in keeping one step ahead
of the competition.
Maintenance of standards and improving human resources is a
"never-ending story", Napitupulu says.
Through its Overseas Fellowship Development Program, PT PLN
(Persero) Jasa Enjiniring has sent dozens of its engineers for
training with Bechtel since 1988.
In all, 100 engineers will have been trained by the last
program, which begins in September, 1997, and lasts for three
months.
Company employees also participate in seminars and workshops
throughout the world to polish their skills.
PT PLN (Persero) Jasa Enjiniring enlisted Electricite de
France International to conduct a 15-year master-plan study. This
will allow the company to anticipate market changes as
Indonesia's economy promises to grow markedly into the next
millennium.
His grand designs for the future are not limited to local
shores.
"Through gaining the ISO 9001, we have shown that we are a
competitive firm, that we have the knowledge and skills in our
field," he says. "When AFTA takes effect in 2003, I think we will
be about ready to bid on other projects overseas, not just those
in Indonesia."