Musim Mas facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | food processing, agribusiness, palm oil, biofuel |
| Founded | 1932 |
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Area served
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Indonesia, Brazil, Germany, Malaysia, India, China, Vietnam, Spain, Singapore, Italy, Netherlands, United States, United Kingdom |
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Key people
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| Revenue | $7.6 billion (2018) |
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Number of employees
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37,000 |
Musim Mas Group is a large company from Indonesia. It works all over the world in the palm oil industry. The company has operations in 13 countries across Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Americas.
Musim Mas owns many palm oil refineries. They also make vegetable oil and consumer goods. These goods include popular soap and cooking oil brands in Indonesia. The company has 37,000 employees. They use a big network of ships and storage facilities to move their products.
Musim Mas is a private company. It is managed by the Karim brothers: Bachtiar Karim, Bahari Karim, and Burhan Karim. Besides palm oil, the company also has interests in real estate. They own the Mikie Holiday Resorts in Berastagi, North Sumatra.
Contents
How Musim Mas Started
In 1932, Anwar Karim started a soap factory. It was called Nam Cheong Soap Factory. This factory was in Medan, North Sumatra. This was the very beginning of what would become Musim Mas.
In 1970, the company built its first palm oil refinery. This was in Belawan, Indonesia. Two years later, in 1972, the company officially became PT Musim Mas. It was located in Tanjung Mulia, Medan.
The company grew its business in 1988. They started their own palm tree plantation in Rantau Prapat, North Sumatra. In 1990, Musim Mas built its first plant to crush palm kernels in Medan. A year later, in 1991, they opened their first palm oil mill in Rantau Prapat.
Expanding Globally
In 2002, Musim Mas opened its first office outside Indonesia. This was Inter-Continental Oil and Fats Pte. Ltd. (ICOF) in Malaysia. ICOF helps sell and distribute Musim Mas products. It is based in Singapore and works to provide "sustainable palm oil solutions."
In 2003, Musim Mas started an oleochemicals plant. This plant makes special chemicals. The next year, in 2004, Musim Mas became the first company in Indonesia to get Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification. This means they produce palm oil in a responsible way. The company's Executive Chairman also helped start the RSPO board.
Musim Mas continued to grow. They opened their first office in Europe in 2007. In 2008, they opened an office in the United States. By 2009, all of PT Musim Mas's plantations in Indonesia were RSPO certified. This was a big achievement. They also started operations in India and China that year. By 2012, all their plantations in Indonesia had RSPO certification.
In 2013, Musim Mas opened an office in Vietnam. They were also the first company to get the Indonesia Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification. This is another important sustainability standard. Their company MasChem BV also planned a new facility in the Netherlands. This facility makes surfactants. These are special ingredients used in personal care products and detergents.
In 2014, Musim Mas opened three biodiesel plants in Europe. They also opened their first refinery in Malaysia. In 2016, Musim Mas joined the Fire Free Alliance (FFA). This group works to prevent forest fires. They also bought a glycerin refinery in the Netherlands.
In 2017, the company started a joint project with Genting Plantations in Malaysia. They also bought a plant in Spain. By 2019, Musim Mas was the first company in Southeast Asia to get POIG (Palm Oil Innovation Group) verification. They also launched the Novel IDEAS Center. This is a research and development facility in Singapore Science Park. It helps them create new and innovative products.
What Musim Mas Makes
Musim Mas makes many different products. These include biodiesel (a type of fuel), cooking oils, and margarine. They also make soap, skincare products, and hygiene items. Other products include special fats and vitamin E. In 2021, Musim Mas was ranked among the top specialty oil companies globally.
The company sells more than 70 of its own brands around the world. Their products include cooking oils, margarines, and soaps. Some of their well-known soap brands are Lervia, Medicare, and Harmony. Sunco is a popular cooking oil brand. They also have Surya Gold, Margareta, and Rajni Gold. Musim Mas also has a new company called Kevolve Dr MCT. This company sells special MCT oil products.
Protecting Our Planet
Musim Mas is committed to protecting the environment. In 2014, they started a new policy. This policy promises to produce palm oil without causing deforestation. This means they work to protect forests.
The company also tries to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. They do this by capturing methane gas from their mills. They then turn this gas into energy to power their factories and farms. All of Musim Mas's mills have these methane capture facilities, called biogas plants.
In 2021, Musim Mas partnered with AAK and Nestlé. They worked together to stop deforestation outside of their plantation areas in Aceh, Indonesia. This partnership helps about 1,000 small palm oil farmers. It teaches them how to farm in a sustainable way.
Awards and Recognition
Musim Mas has received awards for its work. In 1992, they received the "Indonesian Best Exporter Award." This award is also known as the Primaniyarta Award.
