Ford Indonesia to Conduct Deeper Study on Building Factory in RI

Jakarta (ANTARA) - RMA Indonesia, the Agen Pemegang Merek (APM) for Ford in Indonesia, has confirmed that it is still in the comprehensive study phase regarding major plans to establish an assembly centre in Indonesia. Country Manager of RMA Group Indonesia, Toto Suharto, stated that the company indeed has a strong desire to localise its products through the Completely Knocked Down (CKD) scheme. “We are currently continuing our studies on this possibility, and in the near future, we may be able to provide details on what it will entail,” said Toto Suharto in Jakarta on Tuesday. Nevertheless, the company needs to consider various risks and analyse long-term economic feasibility for establishing a production centre in various countries, not just Indonesia. “I think one of the desires is, perhaps almost all brands (want to build factories) as well. When doing business in Indonesia, we certainly look at the market potential too. Yes, that’s what we’re examining right now,” he explained. “So we can’t share it with everyone yet, because the process is quite lengthy. This involves long-term business ahead. So we can’t decide just by considering a few aspects,” he added. Previously, Ford, under Ford Motor Company, faced quite challenging conditions to compete in the Indonesian automotive market. In 2016, the American automotive company withdrew from the national automotive market. After six years, in 2022, PT RMA Indonesia brought the brand back to compete in the Indonesian automotive industry with various flagship vehicles such as the Mustang, double cabin vehicles, and SUVs like the Ford Ranger and Ford Everest.