$32m German Center inaugurated at BSD

$32m German Center inaugurated at BSD

TANGERANG (JP): Visiting Baden-Wurttemberg Prime Minister
Erwin Teufel from Germany inaugurated the German Center at the
Bumi Serpong Damai housing and business complex here in a
ceremony attended by President B.J. Habibie and other senior
officials on Sunday.

Designed as an ideal arena and meeting place for Indonesian
and German businesses, the eight-story building -- called the
German House -- cost US$32 million to build.

The inauguration ceremony was also attended Germany's Minister
for Economics and Technology Affairs Werner Mller and Indonesian
Minister of Industry and Trade Rahardi Ramelan.

Like Teufel, Habibie delivered his speech in German after
asking permission from the more than 500 guests to honor the
visiting Germans.

"I was informed that the center aims to assist the restoration
of the Indonesian economy, which is at present encountering a
crisis," he said.

Habibie extended his appreciation and gratitude, saying that
the realization of the German House would not only benefit
Germany, but also Indonesia.

He hoped that the center would provide the private sectors of
both countries the opportunity to promote further cooperation.

"This cooperation should create equal opportunities for the
business communities to develop their undertakings, in which
their active roles are in high demand in order to cope with the
crisis," Habibie, who spent over 19 years in Germany, said.

Indonesia, he added, had adopted an economic policy similar to
Germany's, namely the development of small and medium enterprises
and cooperatives.

"When I lived and worked in Germany, I was able to look
closely and see that the backbone of the German economy is
essentially this very sector," he said.

With the assistance of the German House, Indonesian small and
medium enterprises "can enter a market a long way from their
patrons in Indonesia", said Habibie, who spent almost three hours
at the ceremony.

Construction on the building, which stands on a 15,000 square
meter plot, began in May 1997.

The building was constructed by PT Econ Construction under the
supervision of ICM of Germany. At least 50 percent of the
materials used for the building were shipped from Germany.

So far, some 22 percent of the 17,174 square meters of total
building space have been occupied by 16 tenants.

The center's president, Jochen Sautter, earlier said that 34
companies -- 22 Indonesian firms, 10 German companies and two
companies from Singapore -- had signed up for space in the
building.

The local firms occupying space in the building include Bank
Bali, PT Asuransi Allians Utama Indo and NV Djawa Indah. Among
the German companies occupying space in the building are Korsch
Pressen GmbH, Roedl & Partner, Stenbrenner Import & Export and
Tamprogge GmbH.

The Singapore businesses in the building are Rinol Asit Pte.
Ltd. and Klockner Moeller Asia.

"The German Center has introduced new rental terms in line
with general market trends in Greater Jakarta," Sautter said.

He said the center leased space in U.S. dollar-denominated
rates which would be pegged to a predetermined rupiah conversion
rate.

The building is equipped with a business center, conference
and presentation rooms, a media center with satellite and
internet facilities, a restaurant and a pub.

Similar German centers already operate in several cities
around the world, including Singapore, Beijing, Yokohama and
Shanghai.

The next center will be built in Mexico and is scheduled to be
completed sometime next year. (jun)