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)