PT. Sucofindo to become int'l surveyor

JAKARTA (JP): State-owned PT Sucofindo aims to become an international surveying firm by the year 2000 and raise its annual contribution to government by 50 percent despite its decreased dependence on state projects.

"We can increase our annual financial contribution to the government to Rp 600 billion from last year's level of Rp 400 billion. We are also improving the quality of our supervision and technology-based services to internationally-recognized levels," the president of Sucofindo, Moedjiono, said yesterday.

The portion of government projects granted to Sucofindo will decrease according to Indonesia's efforts to reduce trade tariff barriers.

Sucofindo is 60 percent dependent on government work, it inspects exports subject to government regulations and it verifies capital goods imported by investors as well as local contents of some industrial products.

The government's latest deregulatory measure, which was announced this month, would reduce the company's future revenue by 30 percent, or Rp 40 billion per year, Moedjiono said.

In future Sucofindo will no longer monopolize the inspection of export commodities such as rattan, wood and leather.

"The portion of the company's revenue from government-related projects, therefore, will gradually decrease to only 20 percent in the year 2000," said Moedjiono. Deregulation was designed to prepare domestic companies for global free trade.

Sucofindo is diversifying to compete internationally, he said.

"We have prepared our human resources, facilities and concepts to be more independent, and take advantage of cooperation with world-class companies," said Moedjiono.

Sucofindo will issue environment management certificates (ISO 14000) in cooperation with the Geneva-based Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS).

Moedjiono said Sucofindo is working with a German company to test vehicle emissions. It will establish a three hectare laboratory in Cibitung, West Java, to develop this project.

Sucofindo, set up in 1956, is 95 percent owned by the government and 5 percent owned by the Societe Generale de Surveillance.

Resource

Sucofindo signed an agreement yesterday with the Study Center for Archipelagic Law and Development to design concepts to develop and manage maritime resources in Indonesia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Yesterday's agreement was signed by Moedjiono and the center's chairman, Mochtar Kusumaatmadja, a former foreign minister.

Sucofindo will provide facilities and technical support while the study center will provide expertise.

Mochtar said, "Maritime resources in the country's western areas are more suitable to be developed for the domestic market and those in eastern areas for exports." (kod)