For electronics manufacturers relocating production to Southeast Asia, many are choosing Batam, Indonesia, as their strategic base. Located just 20 kilometers from Singapore in the Malacca Strait, Batam offers duty-free policies, tax exemptions, and a labor cost that’s roughly one-third of Singapore’s. Combined with available industrial land and favorable export policies, the island has become a prime destination for electronics manufacturing.
Turning Batam into a production hub also means overcoming logistics challenges, especially when managing inbound shipments from multiple suppliers. To address these complexities, Dimerco developed a Hong Kong to Batam logistics solution to improve supplier integration and lower costs. It combines buyer’s consolidation with door-to-door transport and flexible sea-air options, providing manufacturers a reliable and cost-efficient way to move components from China to Batam.
Why Batam is Becoming a Manufacturing Hub
Batam’s growth is clear from the rising investment and job numbers. In 2024, investment in the island reached IDR 25.46 trillion or around USD 1.78 billion which is 63 percent higher than the previous year. This increase has created about 12,000 new jobs especially in electronics, medical devices, industrial parks, and infrastructure development. These developments show how Batam is becoming a key manufacturing center in Southeast Asia.
The Shipping Obstacles Manufacturers Faced
Relocating operations to Batam exposed practical hurdles in moving components from multiple suppliers to a single production site.
Lack of bonded logistics: Without a bonded zone similar to those in mainland China, suppliers couldn’t deliver into a shared warehouse for flexible inventory pull.
High transportation costs: Traditional routes required deconsolidation in Singapore before forwarding to Batam, increasing both time and expense.
Multi-supplier complexity: Coordinating diverse shipments from over 50 suppliers in different packaging and volumes required efficient consolidation planning.
Strict customs processes: Indonesia’s detailed Commercial Invoice (CI), Packing List (PL), and permit requirements increased the risk of delays in a multi-supplier LCL environment.
Infrastructure limitations: Batam’s ports rely on manual unloading and open-bed trucking, exposing sensitive electronics to damage and weather risks.
The Impact of Creating a Reliable Shipping Between China and Batam
To overcome these challenges, Dimerco formed a local joint venture in Batam in 2018 to support growing manufacturing in the region. By 2020, a buyer’s consolidation service for a leading Taiwan-based electronics OEM was launched to connect more than 50 Chinese suppliers with its new Batam facility.
As of May 2025, Dimerco has handled over 300 shipments, helping the client cut logistics costs up to 30 percent. The network has since evolved into a fully integrated service covering collection, customs clearance, transportation, and last-mile delivery.
Details related to Dimerco’s specialized solution for Hong Kong to Batam logistics:
- Flexible cargo receipt and consolidation: Dedicated warehouses in Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Singapore allowed suppliers to deliver locally or schedule pickups. Cargo was inspected and repacked as needed to ensure compliance and protection.
- Direct FCL deconsolidation to Batam: Instead of following the common practice of deconsolidating in Singapore, full containers were moved directly to Batam. This exclusive approach eliminated extra handling, shortened transit, and reduced costs by as much as 30 percent.
- Sea-air multimodal options: To balance speed and cost, the solution combined ocean and air freight. Urgent shipments could reach Batam in as little as 5 hours from Hong Kong and 9 hours from Shanghai.
- Optimized customs clearance: Integration of commercial documents through IT tools and close coordination with a local broker minimized port dwell time and reduced clearance risks.
- Protected last-mile delivery: Enclosed trucks and controlled deconsolidation sites safeguarded sensitive electronics from Batam’s humid and rainy climate.
- End-to-end visibility and transparent pricing: The MyDimerco platform offered real-time tracking with exception alerts, while all-inclusive pricing eliminated seasonal surcharges and ensured predictable costs.
Dimerco’s strong warehousing solutions across China certainly aid in the overall solution. Check out this video to see how our Shenzhen warehousing solutions support efficient consolidation and distribution across South China and beyond.
Delivering Results that Opened New Opportunities
With the solution in place, the client achieved:
- Transit times as fast as 8 days from Hong Kong to Batam with 98 percent on-time delivery.
- Air freight arrivals in as little as 5-9 hours for urgent cargo.
- For sea freight, the route averages 9-13 days, door-to-door, with expedited moves as 8-9 days.
- A 30 percent reduction in logistics costs through direct consolidation and optimized routing.
The strong performance in Batam led the client to also appoint Dimerco as a logistics provider for its new Vietnam factory.
Expanding Supply Chain Reach in Southeast Asia
As manufacturing continues shifting toward Southeast Asia, Batam’s growth is just one example of how supply chains are evolving.
Dimerco is planning to expand its Hong Kong-to-Batam logistics approach to in Vietnam, Malaysia and other emerging markets to provide professional, scalable logistics services for companies diversifying their global supply chains.
This approach is designed to help manufacturers strengthen supplier connections and build resilient networks across Asia’s fastest-growing production hubs.
Ready to Optimize your Electronics Supply Chain?
For ideas on how to create a more efficient supply chain, download our eBook, 8 Ways to Streamline Global Logistics for Electronics Products, and explore strategies to simplify multi-supplier coordination, control costs, and strengthen your Asia-centric supply chain.
Want to discuss a tailored solution for your business? Get in touch with a Dimerco specialist today to learn how we can help you streamline your inbound supply chains from China to Southeast Asia.
