President opens GKBI 37-story office building

President opens GKBI 37-story office building

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto inaugurated yesterday a 37-
story office building owned by the Federation of Indonesian Batik
Cooperatives (GKBI).

The building, named Wisma GKBI, was built by PT Mulia
Cemerlang Persada, a subsidiary of the Mulia Group, under a 20-
year build, operate and transfer contract.

GKBI's President Director Noorbasha Djunaid said the
construction of the building, which occupies a hectare plot on
Jl. Sudirman, Central Jakarta, is part of the federation's
business expansion. The building has 110,000 square meters of
floor space for lease.

"GKBI occupies a floor for its headquarters. After the 20-year
contract ends, the whole premises will be owned by GKBI," he
announced following the inauguration of the building.

The federation, which previously produced mostly textile-
related products, is now involved in a wide range of business
activities.

Noorbasha said that the federation recently established PT
GKBI Investment as a holding company for its business operations.

Aside from textile and batik businesses, its subsidiaries also
include PT Timitra Multi Finance, PT GKBI Motor, PT Sentra Arus
Valindo, PT Olah Bumi Mandiri, PT Wahono Buana Beton and PT Rehal
Traco.

Its textile and batik factories are now run by PT Priamtexco,
PT Medarindotex, PT Primissima, PT Dayani Garment Indonesia, PT
Koprimatex and PT Tokai Texprint.

"All the factories employ 7,249 workers with a Rp 306 billion
annual turnover. Forty percent of the textile production is
exported," he was quoted by Antara as saying.

After autographing a placard for the building, the President
took time to visit the association's headquarters on the sixth
floor. The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Cooperatives
and Small Enterprises Subiakto Tjakrawerdaya and former minister
of cooperatives Bustanil Arifin. (jsk)