The Indonesian Various Ceramic Industries Association (Asaki) aims to increase the export of ceramic products to US$330 million by the end of this year, a significant growth from $210 million in 2009, says Asaki’s chairman.

“We’re optimistic this year’s export will reach $330 million despite the strengthening of rupiah against US dollar in the first quarter,” Achmad Widjaja told a press conference on the upcoming 2010 world ceramic tile manufacturer forum, Friday.

According to Asaki’s latest data, the ceramic industry’s annual production capacity reached an average of between 237 million and 243 million cubic meters for floor tile, 150 million cubic meters for roof tile, 253 million pieces for tableware and 5 million pieces of sanitary supplies. (more…)

We cannot ignore China. No country can. The size of its economy is now second only to the United States, and still growing rapidly. Increasingly we need China more than they need us, but China is helping us to face the world. We have no better choice than to embrace free trade with China and make it work for Indonesia.

The objections from some quarters about the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) are understandable in the shortterm. But if we look at the longer-term, free trade will surely benefit all parties, with more trade and better welfare for our people. (more…)

Jakarta (ANTARA News) – An official said that the government has set up a coordination team to overcome obstables faced by national products in their competition with foreign products.

“The team is tasked with conducting coordination among ministries and between the central and regional administrations,” I Wayan Dipta, the deputy for micro-, small and medium business human resources and assessment of the office of the state minister for cooperatives and small and medium businesses, said at a discussion on local industries in the face of the Asean-China Free Trade Agreement here on Saturday.

He said the team was also assigned to identify the problems of national industries in the face of the implementation of the Asean-China Free Trade Agreement as January this year and also to study regulations that hinder the implementation of the agreement.He did not tell about the composition of the team members.

The deputy secretary general of the Association of Indonesian Businessmen (Apindo), Franky Sibarani, hailed the establishment of the team saying it was a positive step to overcome problems that the national industries might face with regard to the implementation of the Asean-China Free Trade.

He hoped the team would be pro-active and transparent in accomodating problems faced by local as well as national industrialists.

As an example he referred the case of national ceramic industry. He said the country`s ceramic industry still had a big export market in China and the price of its products was still competitive.

However ceramic exporters still faced difficulties due to shortage of power supply needed for processing.”It is hoped the team will accomodate the complaints and help find the solutions,” he said.

An economic observer from state University of Indonesia Ninasapti Triawati said to protect national products the government had to curb onslaught from Chinese products through imposition of the Indonesia National Standard (SNI).

Products from China that fail to meet the SNI standard must not be allowed to enter the country, she said.

“We must not only consider their cheap price but also their security for consumers such as in terms of food producs,” she said.

Although they are cheap they must be rejected if they are not safe for consumers` health, she added.(*)

(CNA) Representatives of major ceramic tile manufacturing countries from around the world issued a “green declaration” in Taipei Thursday, vowing to uphold global environmental protection causes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions during their production processes.

The 16th session of the World Ceramic Tiles Manufacturers’ Forum, which opened a day earlier and will run through Nov. 7, has brought more than 50 delegates from the United States, Japan, Germany, Italy, Spain, China, Ukraine, India and Indonesia to Taiwan to attend the forum.

The participants are focusing their discussions on how to design and promote “green” ceramic tiles that conform with the global trend of environmental protection but that also contribute to profit for the makers and help provide excellent home environments, according to the forum organizers.

The worldwide production value of ceramic tiles totals between US$80 billion and US$100 billion per year, with China, Italy, Spain, India, Turkey, Brazil and Mexico the major manufacturing countries.

Taiwan-made ceramic tiles, despite their relatively much smaller production volume — averaging about US$400 million per year — have gradually heightened their world status with increasingly improved quality and designs, the organizers said.

Despite the fact that ceramic tiles are one of the most important ingredients of interior design, the industry lacks universal standards of quality and specifications for manufacturers to follow.

The forum therefore serves as a platform on which manufacturers from around the world can exchange views on world trends, sales experiences and consumers’ needs, the organizers said.

PERUGIA, – Wakil Presiden Boediono bersama rombongan, Kamis (19/11) pagi waktu setempat, mengunjungi pusat kerajinan keramik Deruta, Perugia, Italia.

Kota Perugia berjarak sekitar 100 kilometer atau dua jam perjalanan dari pusat kota Roma. Deruta sendiri merupakan salah satu dari 96 distrik Italia sebagai sentra industri keramik di Italia. Deruta juga dikenal sebagai kota industri keramik tua yang berusia 800 tahun lampau atau tahun 1282.

Boediono yang juga ditemani oleh Kepala Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal (BKPM) Gita Irawan Wiryawan serta staf khusus lainnya, disambut oleh Wali Kota Deruta Alvaro Verbena dan pemilik salah satu home industry Maiolche Originali Deruta Ivan dan Grazia.

Boediono sempat disambut dengan iringan lagu Indonesia Raya dari sebuah rekaman saat naik ke lantai dua galeri pusat kerajinan keramik Maioliche Originali Deruta.

Setelah mendengarkan paparan dan disuguhi roti dan penganan khas Italia, Boediono diajak berkeliling untuk melihat dari  dekat cara pembuatan dan pemberian gambar dan motif keramik.