Villagers find money-spinner in tires

Villagers find money-spinner in tires

By Agus Maryono and Ngudi Utomo

PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): To most people in Central Java,
Kebanaran village, which is located along the Purwokerto-Tegal
highway in Banyumas district, is better known as Bandol village.
Bandol is an acronym for the Javanese term ban bodol (damaged
tire). The village earned this name because most of the villagers
have been successful in turning bandol into valuable goods.

The late Madmaseh began this business in the 1950s. He created
wheels for horse-drawn buggies and pails out of used motorcycle
and automobile tires. Other villagers have since followed in his
footsteps and created their own products. Now you can find vases,
chairs and tables, trash bins and sandals -- all made from used
tires.

Turning a used rubber tire into a household utensil is quite a
complicated process and requires a special skill, especially when
cutting the tires into desired patterns. The equipment needed is
quite simple, such as a sharp knife, glue, small nails and an
oven (to soften the rubber to make it easy to brand when making
sandals).

"Unless you are well trained in cutting tires, you may cut off
all your fingers when you use a very sharp knife," says 60-year-
old Haji Khaidi Siswoyo, Madmaseh's son-in-law.

If you want to make a trash bin, for example, a used tire is
cut into two along the wall of the tire. The rim is sewed and
glued in accordance with the shape desired. The bottom part is
covered by the half that includes the tire tread.

One tire, no matter what the size, is only enough for one
trash bin. "A small bin can usually fetch Rp 20,000," says
Khaidi, who says his bandol business enabled him to perform the
haj pilgrimage. He adds that he could make a 200 percent profit
from used tires, which cost Rp 800 a kilogram.

According to the bandol craftsmen, the most difficult items to
make out of used tires are tables and chairs. The tread of the
tire is used to cover the frame of chair armrests and legs. To
make one table and three chairs, five used tires are needed.
"Actually four used tires are enough to make a set if the quality
of the tires is good enough," he says.

Sandals are made from the wall of the tire. One tire, says
Mrs. Khaidi, is enough for 20 pairs of bandol sandal.

Over the last few months, demand for bandol sandals has risen
sharply, says Khaidi, who employs nine workers. Sometimes, he
says, he has to reject orders because he does not have enough
staff. "Most orders for these sandals come from Klaten and Solo
(Surakarta)," he says.

According to him, demand for bandol sandals has been rising
because the sandals are quite cheap -- only Rp 4,000 a pair. "If
you buy the sandals in large quantities the price is Rp 55,000
per 20 pairs," he says.

"Another reason may be that many people can no longer afford
to buy branded sandals in shops," he says. He boasts that in
terms of quality, his sandals are comparable to those sold in
shops for above Rp 30,000 a pair.

Another entrepreneur, Riyanto, also enjoys a robust business.
"We have a stroke of good luck when a tire is still in quite good
condition because this can be used to make an easy chair and a
table, which, together with a few accessories, may fetch Rp
200,000 a set," he says, adding that a table and chair set costs
only Rp 100,000 to make.

The bandol businessmen are baffled by the problems they have
with supplies of damaged/used tires. But in the midst of the
economic crisis, tire factories have reduced production. And the
price increase of auxiliary materials poses quite a serious
problem for them.

According to Khaidi, even in Jakarta, where he usually gets
his supplies, used tires are quite difficult to obtain.
Sometimes, he says, he buys discarded tires from a tire
manufacturer at Rp 1,000/kg, Rp 200 more than damaged/used tires.

He adds that supplies of damaged/used tires, usually from
Jakarta and Cirebon, have become quite scarce lately. He says the
reason for this could be that tire prices are very high and
motorists might not change their tires unless absolutely
necessary.

"Another big problem related to the economic crisis is the
fivefold increase in the price of glue. One big tin of glue,
previously available at Rp 30,000, now costs Rp 150,000," he
says, adding that a bandol business cannot do without glue.

"Luckily, more orders have come in and used tires have not
increased considerably in price," he says.

Bandol craftsmen are paid on either a contract or daily basis.
Those paid on a daily basis are paid in accordance with the
government-stipulated regional minimum wage rate, while those
employed on a contract basis are paid in accordance with the
kinds of jobs they do.

Khaidi, for example, pays his daily workers Rp 3,000 a day
(including meals). He pays contract workers Rp 50 for each pair
of sandals they glue.

Djoko, 19, one worker, says he prefers to work on a contract
basis because he can earn more. In one day, he says, he can glue
250 pairs of sandals.

"Those working on a contract basis include, for example,
people who nail and sew the tire products together," says Khaidi.
"A sole cutter gets Rp 25 per sole, while someone who nails the
sandals is paid Rp 75 per sandal (using five nails)," Djoko says.
"If I do the nailing, I can take on 100 pairs a day."