FURNITURE AND HANDICRAFT INDUSTRY TO LAUNCH AGGRESSIVE MARKETING

Producers of furniture’s and handicraft in Yogyakarta recommended that export must be supported by marketing and advertising campaign including exhibitions at international level. At least there were for exhibition event of international level in Jakarta each year. Although costly, to exhibit was worthwhile to seek for export markets. “Exhibitions like Inacraft, Ifex, were often visited by buyers from Europe. Although exhibitions are expensive, we can do trick by sharing expo stand with other tenants” Bismo Adi, a participant of Workshop for Indonesian Furniture Manufacturers in Yogyakarta disclosed to Business News (5/5).

Adi, who was also Marketing Manager of a company producing furniture and handicraft products also participated in Business Matching. The ASEAN Korea Center facilitated Business Matching with candidate buyers from Korea. “We can not sell products the passive way, we chase the ball. Competition is heightening. Vietnam is aggressively marketing their products. Our comparative advantage is that we still have a stock of old teak wood. Buyers from Europe love tropical woods. If our stock of Jati Teakwood ran out, we can use Mahoni wood. Some type of wood like black teakwood is running out”

Meanwhile a wooden handicraft producer of Georg Kitchen Art Production in Solo stated that the principle of recycle was becoming more relevant today. The villagers were more prone to breaking the Forestry Law. Tree cutting could mean breaking the Law No 41/1999 on Forestry. “In principle recycle up to 100% recycle. We need wood but in large quantity but it’s sort of scarce” Georg, President of Art Production disclosed to Business News (5/5).

Georg was using various types of used woods including ex-railway cushion; also left over pieces of table, benches, houses etc. and even garbage wood on the beaches. “Some used wood are still good. The railway cushions are tens of years old, maybe a hundred years, they were built in the Duty colonial days.”

Export of wooden handicraft were increasing year after year. Indonesian woods were good and incomparable for wall ornaments better than that of other countries including Vietnam. Georg of German descendent admitted he fell in love with Indonesian tropical woods.

Wastage woods, especially those old woods are not sensitive, meaning they were not dangerous to touch. “If we cares the surface, our hands would not hurt. They are cleaner too but are getting more hard to find”.

In Surakarta there were villagers who collect trash woods which float on the beaches. They collect pieces of wood and sell them to Georg for making handicrafts. “Woods of Trembles tree were particularly good, we carve them out to become artistic decorations”

In the olden days people used woods for firewood. Now many people had changed into gas stoves and use gas as fuel for cooking. “Our craftsmen are accustomed to select good quality woods and carve them into artistic decorations for export”. (SS)

Business New - May 8, 2015