Sandvik Tooling Strategy Boosts PT Kubota’s Efficiency!
By Ashutosh Arora
Sandvik Coromant has partnered with PT Kubota Indonesia to deliver an integrated tooling strategy that not only improved operational efficiency but also supported the company’s sustainability goals. Through advanced tooling solutions and collaborative problem-solving, PT Kubota has been able to reduce cycle times, improve chip control, cut carbon emissions, and lower tooling costs by up to 18 percent. The success of this initiative highlights how strategic tooling innovation can deliver lasting value by simultaneously advancing performance and sustainability.
PT Kubota, a leading diesel engine manufacturer serving Indonesia’s agricultural sector, faced several production challenges before engaging with Sandvik Coromant. The company was looking for ways to shorten cycle times, reduce cost per part, and optimize finishing processes. Complicating matters was the fact that PT Kubota’s operations are located over 400 kilometers away from Sandvik Coromant’s Indonesian office, making regular on-site collaboration more challenging. Despite this distance, both companies established a strong working partnership that allowed them to share expertise and implement effective solutions remotely and on-site.
Sandvik Coromant introduced a suite of advanced tooling solutions, including CoroCut® 2, CoroTurn® TR, CoroThread® 266, and CoroTurn® Prime. These tools, supported by the latest insert grades and paired with MasterCAM 2025 programming software, were carefully selected to address Kubota’s specific machining requirements. The results were transformative. The strategy enabled PT Kubota to replace 15 competitor tools with Sandvik solutions, eliminate the need for one finishing machine, and significantly reduce downtime. These improvements translated into tangible cost savings while also enhancing sustainability by lowering energy use and reducing waste.
The collaboration delivered measurable gains in both production performance and environmental impact. By reducing machining time and optimizing processes, PT Kubota lowered its overall CO₂ footprint. The elimination of excess tooling and one machine also reduced resource consumption and maintenance demands, contributing further to the company’s environmental objectives. For PT Kubota, this integration of performance improvements with sustainability represented a critical step toward aligning its operations with global best practices in manufacturing.
Customer satisfaction has been a key outcome of the project. Manny Valenza, Sales Cluster Manager for South East Asia Oceania at Sandvik Coromant, described the partnership as a model of effective collaboration. “Working closely with PT Kubota has been a highly collaborative experience and, despite the distance, we have delivered solutions that exceed their expectations,” he said. The successful deployment of Sandvik’s tooling strategy has already led to expanded cooperation, with PT Kubota awarding Sandvik Coromant a turnkey contract to equip two new Okuma machines with Capto systems. The agreement also includes a subscription to CoroPlus® ToolPath software, further strengthening PT Kubota’s digital manufacturing capabilities.
From PT Kubota’s perspective, the benefits have been clear. “Sandvik Coromant has been able to address our challenges in improving process efficiency and reducing machine downtime,” said Panut Pujiono of the Production Engineering Department at PT Kubota. “Their tooling solutions have also helped us cut costs by up to 18 percent compared to our previous tools.”
The partnership demonstrates how a comprehensive tooling strategy can deliver more than incremental improvements. By taking a holistic approach to process optimization, Sandvik Coromant has shown that it is possible to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and enhance sustainability all at once. For PT Kubota, the results affirm that long-term value comes from integrated solutions that align with both business objectives and environmental responsibilities.
