Govt to help promote local brands overseas

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesian companies are currently suffering from a lack of recognition in the international market with only 25 local brands currently known worldwide, a senior executive of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) revealed on Thursday.

"The Trade Ministry is therefore targeting at least 200 Indonesian brands to gain exposure by 2009," Kadin's vice chairman for marketing and product development, Handito Hadi Joewono said.

Speaking after the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Kadin and the Indonesian Export Training Center at the Indonesian Trade Expo in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, he said the local companies' awareness of promoting brands globally remained low as most of them feared that promoting brands overseas would be too costly.

Under the memorandum, the government, through the export training center, will teach educate small and medium enterprises and other Indonesian businesses how to promote exports.

According to the head of the National Export Development Agency, Bachrul Chairi, participants will be trained in export strategies, market research and export documentation.

"We hope this initiative will help locally well-known businesses to also project their identity abroad," Handito said, as quoted by detikFinance.

Essenza Tiles, Mulia Ceramics, Olympic Furniture and Indah Kiat Pulp and Paper, are currently among the ranks of locally famed brands that have ventured successfully into the world market.

PT Inti Keramik Alamasri Industry and PT Muliakeramik Indahraya, the two companies behind Essenza Tiles and Mulia Ceramics, respectively, were also among the eight recipients of this year's Primaniyarta awards, which are given to companies with outstanding export performances.

The 22nd Indonesian Trade Expo, which is scheduled to run until Oct. 27, generated a total of US$6.5 million in sales on its second day, while total transactions on the opening day amounted to $1.7 million.

The government had earlier expected to generate up to $200 million in sales from this year's event. (09)