Humpuss, Karat tie up

JAKARTA (JP): PT Humpuss Trading, a subsidiary of Humpuss Group controlled by Hutomo (Tomy) Mandala Putra Soeharto, plans to set up a joint venture company with Karat of Thailand to manufacture sanitary ware with an investment of US$27 million.

"We are now making a feasibility study on the plan and we have yet to decide on the location of the planned venture's factory," the company's president, Gufron Sumariyono, said in a ceremony Friday evening for the introduction of new sanitary products.

He was quoted by Antara as saying that Humpuss Trading is currently the sole distributor of several sanitary products with various trademarks, including Karat, Jacob Delafon of France, Quarella of Italy, Mandala Marmer of Indonesia and Alape, Bette, Emco, Keuco and Kludi of Germany. (04)