Bayu Satya, a name now known as one of the leadingIndonesian entrepreneurs in the field of oil spill mitigation, started his life from scratch. Born on March 23, 1951 in Palembang, South Sumatra, Bayu grew up in a slum area.
Living in poverty forced him and his family to survive by collecting chicken heads from restaurant trash bins, which were then processed into “luxury” meals for themto feed their empty stomaches. However, perseverence was deeply embedded in him. “Difficulties are the school of life,” a piece of advice from his father that Bayu held onto in life.
Since high school, Bayu had tried to change his fate. He repaired used radios that he bought from the flea market at Pasar Cinde in Palembang before he resold them. In his spare time, he also worked part-time at a cake shop, where he embraced the values of honesty. However, the turning point in his life came when he learned English from a Catholic priest.
This English proficiency brought him to Jakarta in 1971 with the hope of pursuing his dreams. In Jakarta, Bayu worked as an English tutor to survive. His skills developed rapidly when a benefactor financed his studyat the Academy of Foreign Languages in Cikini, Central Jakarta. After graduating, he worked in various jobs, from marketing encyclopedias to distributing water pumps, which made him an expert in marketing.
Big steps
A huge opportunity came when Bayu worked at PT Nusantara Timur Teduh, a distributor of oil spill mitigation equipments, and had the opportunity to join workshop at Slickbar Corporation, USA, in 1989. After returning from America, he headed to the PT Slickbar Indonesia factory in Surabaya. Unfortunately, internal conflicts had caused the company to quit operations, leaving Bayu with the rights to secure ownership of the Slickbar Indonesia brand as his “severance pay”.
With an entrepreneurial spirit, Bayu founded PT Slickbar Indonesia on a small plot of land in Cikarang, West Java,that was turned into a makeshift factory. Slowly, through hard work, the company developed into a world-class manufacturer of oil spill response equipment (PPTM). In 1996, he established a modern factory at Delta Silicon 2also in Cikarang. In 2015, he managed to purchase the copyright of Slickbar Corporation, USA.
Bayu’s focus is not only in business as he also contributes greatly to environmental preservation. In 2000, he founded the Oil Spill Combat Team (OSCT) Indonesia, which provides oil spill response services certified by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Bayu’s dedication to environmental preservtion is recognized worldwide. In 2007, he became the first Asian speaker to win the award for third best speaker at the Japan International Symposium. Then, in 2014, he was awarded a prestigious award in Campidoglio, Rome, Italy, for his contribution to saving the environment from oil spills.
Bayu Satya’s journey and his role in saving the environment, especially in Indonesia’s seas, are summarized in the biographical books ‘Berani Melangkah or Dare to Step Forward, which was launched in 2017, and Bayu Satya to Save the Sea which was published in 2020.
From a poor child who picked up chicken heads in the trash bin, Bayu is now an inspiring figure who proves that hard work, perseverance, and courage to move forward can change one’s live.
