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| API's Ade Sudrajat |
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There are three major textile industry associations in Indonesia, namely the Indonesian Textile Association (API), the Indonesian Synthetics Fibers Manufacturer Association (APSyFI) and the Indonesian Spinners Association (Sekbertal), Asep Setiaharja reports
Established in 1974, the Asosiasi Pertekstilan Indonesia (API), or the Indonesian Textile Association, is the biggest industry association on textiles in Indonesia. The current chairman is Benny Soetrisno.
Its members come from the entire textile and apparel supply chain from up-stream up to down-stream, i.e. from synthetics fiber manufacturers, spinners, weavers, knitters to garment makers and made-up articles manufacturers.
The API has a total of 840 company members, mainly situated in the regions of Java and Bali. Aside of its headquarters in Jakarta, the association has offices across six provinces in Greater Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java and Bali.
Vice Chairman of API, Ade Sudrajat explained that the API serves as a facilitator between the government and the industry.
Positioning itself as a spokesperson for its members, API believes industry-friendly policies are crucial to the long-term development of Indonesia's textile and apparel industry. Hence, the API involves in broad subjects of policies and regulations, such as those in relation to investment, energy regulation, human resources, financing, infrastructure, upgraded technology, Mr Sudrajat said.
Regarding the current global economic downturn, Mr Sudrajat said that similar to other industrial sectors, the textile industry in Indonesia was in a hard condition.
The API has kept its optimism with members. "Sooner or later, the (global economic) crisis will be over, and the economic condition will return to the normal situation. The Indonesian textile industry has to equip itself to be ready for the future competition," Mr Sudrajat said.
Domestically, textile and apparel imports from China at a cheaper price level have dominated Indonesia's market, and the country was not allowed to ban made-in-China products under a fair trade notion. The only solution of this problem is to improve the competitiveness of the Indonesian textile and apparel industry, he said.
Integration of the textile industry among ASEAN countries is also a hot issue in the association at the moment. Mr Sudrajat concluded that the API fully supports the idea of integration and will strive for a closer economic cooperation with players in the ASEAN community.
Indonesia is not a cotton-grower country and relies on imported cotton, so Sekbertal gathered spinning enterprises in Indonesia to establish Indonesia's Spinners Association or Sekretariat Bersama Pemintalan (Sekbertal) in 1986 to protect the interests of stakeholders in the spinning sector of Indonesia. Hussein Aminuddin became chairman of the association.
Kustarjono Prodjolalito of APSyFI |
Lily Tamin, Vice Chairman of Sekbertal, explained that Sekbertal is concerned with quality of cotton traded, including foreign matter contamination and honey dew. The association has developed cooperation with international cotton organizations such as Cotton Incorporated (USA), Cotton Council International (USA) and International Cotton Association (UK).
As a oil-producing nation, Indonesia has developed its manmade fiber sector since 1970s, partly with foreign investment.
In 1975, Indonesian Synthetice Fiber Manufacturer Association or Asosiasi Pengusaha Synthetic Fiber Indonesia (APSyFI) was set up to accommodate common interest of synthetics fiber manufacturers in Indonesia.
Secretary General of APSyFI, Kustarjono Prodjolalito, told ATA Journal in an interview in Jakarta that the APSyFI has members of synthetics fiber spinners, as well as manufacturers of PTA and MEG (polyester intermediates).
APSyFI is a source of industry information for its members with regard to labor law, electricity, taxation and more.
A number of Japanese companies have been members of APSyFI since the 1970s, including PT Indonesia Toray and PT Teijin Indonesia Fiber Tbk. Some of the large synthetic fiber manufacturers are also members of APSyFI, including Polyfin Canggih and PT Sulindafin.
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