Milestone
1981
Datra was founded in Jakarta as Darmadi Trading, a company focused on the distribution and application of waterproofing materials, representing international brands such as Vandex and Hitchins. From the beginning, Datra was closely involved in national projects, including waterproofing, topcoat waterproofing, and building protection works for Indonesia’s National Parliament Building and the National Monument.
The company grew to hundreds of employees across eight business units, but its growth was disrupted by the 1997–1998 Asian Financial Crisis. Datra managed to regroup, persist, and continue operating. Over time, ownership changed hands several times before eventually becoming held by a consortium of owners.
2000s
As Indonesia’s economy recovered, construction activity began to pick up. Datra continued its building protection work while expanding into broader construction projects. Datra later became one of the pioneers in installing IAAF-standard athletic tracks in Indonesia. This opened the door to our involvement in Pekan Olahraga Nasional and various ASEAN Games infrastructure projects, helping build our reputation in sports construction.
2007 - 2010
The 2007–2008 Global Financial Crisis again challenged the construction industry. Having learned from previous crises, Datra had the resilience to adapt. During this period, the company strengthened its professionalism through ISO certification, built its manufacturing division, and deepened its culture of innovation, R&D, and technical product understanding. By the late 2000s, however, the business had become too broad and complex, with insufficient management focus. This eventually led to a new chapter of ownership and management, rebirthing Datra into the more focused, lean, and disciplined company it is today.
2011 - 2018
This period marked the rebirth of Datra as the company we know today. Benson became the 100% owner and led a full reorganization, bringing clarity of vision, stronger financial discipline, and sharper business focus. Under his leadership, Datra exited the waterproofing and building protection industry to focus entirely on sports construction. It was a bold bet, beginning with small playgrounds, courts, and community halls.
With fresh energy and strong conviction, Datra built its reputation despite resistance. Its role in the renovation of Indonesia’s national stadium, untouched since the 1960s, and its success across 12 other Asian Games 2018 venues, firmly placed Datra on the map in Indonesia’s sports construction industry. This became the foundation of Datra’s strength today.
2017 - 2020
The momentum in sports continued, and Datra became one of Indonesia’s leading sports EPC contractors and system integrators for national and international-standard facilities. From certified flooring, equipment, and seating, Datra expanded into a multi-scope partner for strategic projects, including as a key specialist subcontractor for state-owned enterprises under President Jokowi’s administration. Datra’s support for the 2020 National Games in Papua proved its ability to deliver high-quality work on time, even in remote and challenging locations.
2019 - 2021
This period continued into COVID, when the construction industry was disrupted once again. Datra responded by innovating, strengthening its business practices, and deepening its technical capabilities. This focus allowed Datra to remain trusted with challenging projects during the crisis. During this time, Datra expanded its civil and structural engineering capabilities, including the design and build of wall climbing facilities & PPOP Ragunan for the Jakarta city government. One of these became Jakarta Wall Climbing Park, one of Southeast Asia’s largest international-standard climbing facilities. Despite payment challenges as city budgets shifted toward COVID response, Datra completed the project fully and collaboratively. This strengthened Datra’s reputation as a trusted partner in difficult conditions.
2021-2023
After COVID, Datra did not just survive; it grew stronger. From community halls to strategic projects, Datra continued to build stability and expand its capabilities. Datra supported the national initiative to refurbish football stadiums across Indonesia, with scopes ranging from seating, flooring, and equipment to integrated system packages. Datra also served as the primary system integrator for Banten International Stadium and played a key role in civil works, tribunes, seating systems, and equipment at Jakarta International Stadium, one of Asia’s largest stadiums.
2023-2025
Datra continues to strengthen its integrated design-build and EPC capabilities for sports, play, and active spaces, serving community halls, schools, sports clubs, private organizations, and industrial towns. After decades without major upgrades, Datra was appointed as the main contractor for the full renovation of Pupuk Kaltim’s Multipurpose Indoor Arena, the complex playground, and a new artificial turf soccer pitch with tribune facilities. This project highlights the importance of upgrading sports infrastructure in industrial and remote towns, while reinforcing Datra’s strength as an integrated leader in this space.
2025-Now
Now fully run by a professional team, Datra continues to build and refine its expertise in sports, play, and active spaces. With decades of experience, in-house manufacturing capabilities, and strategic partnerships such as our JV with Ferco Seating Systems, Datra is entering its next chapter through Datra Sports, an Indonesian brand developing proprietary designs for courts, surfaces, seating, and equipment.
Datra Sports supports both established sports and fast-growing categories such as pickleball and padel. Our dream is to see Datra Sports used across Indonesia and exported to the world. Learn more at www.datrasports.com.
