Window on our industry

Window on our industry

The contribution of the manufacturing sector to Indonesia's gross domestic product has risen impressively from a mere 8.3 percent in 1969 to 24 percent in 1994, thereby laying a strong foundation for our economy towards the take-off stage of development.

We have been enjoying the fruits of the industrial growth and expansion through our domestic market, which is fully stocked by almost all kinds of manufactured products needed to satisfy the demands of even the most sophisticated consumers of today.

But most of us may not know and neither can we visualize how this impressive development is reflected in the physical establishment of thousands of industrial plants scattered across the vast archipelago, ranging from plywood mills in Irian Jaya to a cement factory in the northern part of Aceh.

We are therefore greatly delighted to learn that a private company, PT Napindo Mediapratama, which is chaired by Sudwikatmono -- well known as the nation's cinema mogul -- is preparing a videotaped presentation, which will provide, at the push of a button, a complete visual description of all the types of manufacturing industries we have built so far. The technological information package, the PPI '95 Video Library, will be launched in coincidence with the 1995 Indonesian Production Exhibition to be held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of our national independence in August.

The PPI '95 Video Library will have 50 titles, each of which will provide the visual profile of one of the 50 major types of manufacturing industries already developed. But what will make the video series a historical archive of Indonesian industries is the 51st video, which will summarize the 50 types of industries and feature President Soeharto as the spokesperson for the industrial success our nation has achieved so far.

The presidential seal of endorsement for the industrial video library project not only lends great credence to the fact that there is a need for such visual information material, but also demonstrates the spirit of Indonesia Inc. -- good cooperation between the government and the private sector -- which has made the nation's industrial development a great success.

In the current era of accelerated economic globalization in which the power of information determines the success or failure of an endeavor, such informative material as that provided by the PPI '95 Video Library will surely serve many purposes. Obviously, the first benefit to the local public is easier access to complete information about the industrial development in their own country, which is presented in an entertaining manner. Such enlightenment will help enhance our national pride, which in turn can strengthen our self confidence.

The video library will also serve as handy promotional material to help enlighten the international community, notably businessmen, of the progress Indonesia has made in the manufacturing sector and about what kinds of manufactured products the country can supply to the international market. The videos will address one of the complaints most often raised by foreign businessmen interested in doing business with Indonesia -- extreme lack of information about the archipelago.

Naturally, the video library will be only one component of the full package of marketing services required to promote Indonesia's products and the image of Indonesia Inc. overseas. But that component will be a very important one as it will serve as a bird's eye view to arouse the interest of viewers and motivate them to look for more detailed information.

Indonesia's diplomatic offices and trade promotion centers overseas, which also have often complained of the lack of information materials, will be assisted greatly by the video library in carrying out their tasks.

The producers apparently fully realized that the quality of the video library should be first class and that its presentation should be designed to be able to communicate effectively with the international community. Hence, PT Napindo and Matari Inc., an integrated marketing communications specialist, have set up a special team to handle that monumental work. But obviously, the production will not come cheap because first-class talent and professionals from various disciplines have to be hired. That, we think, makes it most imperative that the business community, notably companies which have reaped great benefits from the industrial growth and expansion, join hands in sponsoring the great work.