HIMKI Urges Technological Innovation to Strengthen Craft Industry Competitiveness
The Indonesian Furniture and Craft Industry Association (HIMKI) is pushing for the accelerated adoption of innovation and modern technology to strengthen the competitiveness of the craft and furniture industries amidst global market competition.
In a statement confirmed in Jakarta on Thursday, HIMKI Chairman Abdul Sobur emphasised that innovation and technological transformation are vital factors for the furniture and craft industries to maintain their edge in international markets. “Indonesia possesses abundant natural resources, a creative workforce, and a furniture and craft industry whose products are already present in various countries. However, to compete globally, we need to strengthen productivity and efficiency through the utilisation of technology, as well as the development of an integrated industrial ecosystem,” he said.
According to Sobur, the future success of Indonesia’s furniture and craft industries will be determined not only by product quality and creativity but also by the ability of business players to adopt modern manufacturing technologies to increase productivity and efficiency.
In conjunction with this, the association opened the Indonesia Forestry and Woodworking Machinery Expo (Indowood Expo) 2026 in Surabaya today. The exhibition, which runs until 6 June 2026, serves as a strategic platform for stakeholders in the forestry, wood processing machinery, furniture, and craft industries to expand business networks, encourage investment, and accelerate the use of modern manufacturing technology.
Meanwhile, Andi Rizaldi, Expert Staff for Industrial Transformation 4.0 Acceleration at the Ministry of Industry, stated that the furniture and wood processing industries are strategic sectors that play a crucial role in supporting national manufacturing growth and Indonesian exports. He noted that the growing global furniture market must be met with increased productivity and faster technology adoption. “The global furniture market is projected to continue growing in the coming years. This presents a massive opportunity for Indonesia to increase competitiveness and expand export market share. To capitalise on this, the industry must continuously improve productivity, product quality, and production process efficiency, while accelerating the adoption of manufacturing technology and innovation,” Andi remarked.
On the same occasion, HIMKI also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Labamu as a commitment to strengthening collaboration and developing the national furniture and craft industry ecosystem. This partnership is expected to support capacity building for industry players through cross-sector synergy.