“After the opening, the government officials disappeared,” Ambar said last week, adding that representatives from related departments should have visited, discussed, and analyzed the discussion results to provide input and solutions. “They gave nothing,” he said, disappointedly.

The association chairman, Ambar Tjahyono, said the lack of support was evident during the International Furniture and Craft Fair Indonesia at the Jakarta International Expo Kemayoran, held on March 11 to 15.

According to Ambar, the association had called on the government to be involved in improving furniture exports. Furniture businessmen need measures to support the rise of such a creative industry. The measures, Ambar said, may be in the form of real contributions, such as providing stimulus funds for promotions and exhibitions, full support for exhibitions, promotion costs, facilitating foreign buyers and inviting ambassadors to exhibitions.

Ambar said the government’s view that it was up to the private sector to develop the furniture industry in Indonesia must be changed. “This must not be the case. This should be a joint responsibility,” he affirmed.
According to Ambar, exhibitions have the potential to create a multiplyer effect, which will not only activate the economy in Jakarta, but also in the provinces.

IFFINA 2009 Success in Achieving US$ 170 Million During Economic Crisis.

Meskipun data ini saya ragukan, namun optimisme tetap harus ada selalu. Dari ratusan peserta pameran sekitar 300 peserta, rata rata berarti masing2 mendapatkan USD 550.000,-

Be optimist.

Jakarta, 15th March 2009. Global economic crisis doesn’t have a significant impact on the improvement of Indonesia’s furniture and craft this year. That can be seen from the transaction made in International Furniture and Craft Fair Indonesia (IFFINA) 2009, held on March 11th -15th 2009.

During the exhibition, estimated around US$170 million transaction occured. This is an incredible achievement especially when we remember the global crisis that occure around the globe. But the prediction on the estimated of the transaction occured will increase since buyer will visit directly to the furniture industrial central after IFFINA 2009.

“The achievement came from 311 exhibition participants, supported by thousands of subcontractor companies, ASMINDO, Dyandra Promosindo Organizer and other associations that work together during the exhibition. The estimated number of transaction will increase since the buyer will visit directly to places where furniture industry centralizes,” said chairman of Indonesian Furniture and Craft Association (ASMINDO), Ambar Tjahyono said in IFFINA 2009 closing day, on Tuesday, March 15th 2009.

At least 2000 buyers from 94 countries, such as United States of America, Spain, Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Middle East and Polish, came to the exhibition which was held by ASMINDO working together with Dyandra Promosindo. This exhibition is the biggest exhibition of furniture and craft in Indonesia.

Most of the deals were done by buyers from United State of America, Spain, Netherlands, Australia and Middle East. Nowadays, the international market preferred an environmental friendly products. And until today, United State of America is still the biggest market for Indonesian furniture and crafts products, explained Ambar.

“We continue to improve our product quality, design and technology and encouraging public forest for the material source thus resulting green product that the international market interested in,” he said.

Ambar hoped that after IFFINA 2009, in the next one or two weeks, lots of buyer will do ‘factory visit’ and another real purchase order to the Indonesian furniture and craft in various places will occure.

Another positive message also said by the Ministry of Industry, Fahmi Idris, which came to IFFINA on the last day of the exhibition, Sunday, March 15th 2009. Fahmi appearance were as a representative of government support towards IFFINA 2009. When he was walking around the exhibition arena with his family, he actually had a chance to buy some furniture and handycraft from the participant of the exhibitions.

“The second IFFINA which was held this year by ASMINDO and supported by other associations were much improve compared to last year. The variety of the furniture, rattan craftsmanship, new product design and technology has showed that there’s a significant improvement,” Fahmi said.  “If next year economic condition is much better, then there’ll be more participant, and I hope there are more small industry companies that join the exhibition,” said Fahmi.

After that, Dyandra Promosindo Director, Ernst K. Remboen, as the event organizer said, “For a country that affected by the economic crisis, this year IFFINA run smoothly according to what we had hoped and able to achieved our target including the number of participant and buyers that came to the exhibition.”

Ernst also hope that they will hold IFFINA 2010, there’s a positive support and pro-active communications between ASMINDO and the government thus creating a positive synergy to make the next exhibition will run smoothly. And with that more participant and buyers come to the exhibition and make Indonesian furniture industry improved.

Report: (Kanomedia) Official media.