HIMKI's 3rd National Conference ends, Abdul Sobur Elected as General Chair of HIMKI 2023-2026

Abdul Sobur, General Chair of HIMKI for the 2023-2026 term

JAKARTA-HIMKI.ID: The 3rd National Conference (Munas) of the Indonesian Furniture and Crafts Industry Association (HIMKI) has ended. One of the results of his decision was that Abdul Sobur was elected as General Chair of HIMKI for the 2023-2026 period, which was held at the Holiday Inn Hotel Jakarta, Thursday (31/8).

The National Conference is held once every three years. The theme of the 3rd Munad is "Strengthening Organizational Solidarity and Integrity to Support Accelerated Growth of the National Furniture and Crafts Industry".

Abdul Sobur expressed his thanks to the National Conference participants who entrusted him to lead HIMKI for the next three years.

"I need to emphasize here that the National Conference is the highest means and decision that the organization has to draw up the Outlines of the HIMKI Work Program in the future. The National Conference is the most strategic step because this is where we issue a number of policy recommendations that will be given to the government to increase the growth of the furniture and crafts industry in the future. Moreover, the government together with HIMKI have targeted an export value of US$5 billion. For this reason, we need to work together synergistically, especially at this time when global conditions are not good. "On the other hand, our competitors such as Vietnam and Malaysia are also increasingly moving away from our position in terms of exports," said Sobur.

Maskur Zainuri, HIMKI Management, Member of the Formation Team, added that this National Conference is very important because it is a means to consolidate all existing components in HIMKI where there are now 16 HIMKI Regional Leadership Councils (DPD), and there will be an additional two DPD throughout Indonesia in the future. near this. So there are 18 DPD.

"We are also consolidating the potential that exists outside Java so that there is even distribution of furniture and craft-based industries in all regions of Indonesia. After this National Conference we will open another representation in South Sulawesi where currently there is only a representative or DPD HIMKI in Central Sulawesi, including in the vast Java region where there are furniture and craft industry centers, such as in Banten and the Priangan region of Java West," he said.

Antonius Suhandoyo, Chairman of the DPD HIMKI Jepara Raya, explained that at this National Conference we are consolidating all existing elements in the organization. Those of us who are still young certainly still need direction and guidance from seniors. So don't let it go yet. We are grateful that Mr Sobur is willing to lead HIMKI again. With Mr. Sobur's example, it is easy for our young people to emulate him.

Anton Dwinanto, Chairman of the DPD HIMKI Bandung and Priangan, said that this National Conference also emphasized HIMKI's commitment to continue improving designs. Several large countries, such as Italy, are prioritizing this issue. In terms of human resources, there are quite a lot of designers at HIMKI and in the future we will pass this on to members who need it. We also collaborate with design associations. On this side, design associations also want to apply it to us.

Meanwhile, A. Kuswidiarso, Chairman of the DPD HIMKI Semarang Raya, said that in order to be able to compete in the global market, we would like to emphasize the need to restructure machinery for the furniture and crafts industry, which is currently a necessity. These latest machines really help in production. Now machine prices are also affordable. For SMEs, we really need government assistance and assistance from the government has so far helped the furniture and crafts industry.

Keep optimistic

Sobur emphasized that the National Conference also emphasized HIMKI's vision, mission and goals. HIMKI was founded on the basis of a common vision, mission and goals among its members to jointly advance the national furniture and craft industry. This organization is expected to become an aspirational and accommodating institution with a spirit of equality among its members.

HIMKI as an association of business actors in the furniture and crafts industry sector, in the broadest sense, is aware of its responsibility to foster and develop harmonious cooperation, encourage equal distribution of business opportunities and participate in implementing national development in the economic sector.

HIMKI continues to develop and strengthen the national furniture and craft industry, which includes ensuring the continuity of supply of raw and supporting materials, product design and innovation, increasing production capabilities, developing human resources, promotion and marketing, as well as institutional development so that it can make a real contribution to the industry national furniture and crafts.

For HIMKI, the national furniture and crafts industry is a very important industry considering that this industry is a strong economic support during economic conditions like today and is the country's way out of absorbing labor. Because until now the furniture and crafts industry continues to exist and generate foreign exchange for the country when other industries are affected by the crisis, because this industry is supported by quite large local content.

HIMKI is optimistic that this industry will continue to experience growth. With the potential for natural resources and human resources that can be managed well, Indonesia can become a leader for the furniture and crafts industry in the ASEAN Regional Region. With the abundant availability of forest product raw materials, large numbers of skilled human resources, this industry should become a strong industry.

"We realize that currently the world economic condition has not yet recovered due to geopolitical conditions. Despite this, demand for furniture and craft products continues to grow with the main supplier China currently leading as the world's largest exporter of furniture products. Data shows that in the first quarter of 2023, exports of furniture and crafts decreased by around 6 percent. "We hope that the IFEX exhibition held last March can halt the decline in exports in the next quarter," said Sobur.

Thus, in fact the global market opportunity for furniture and handicraft products is still open due to the rampant development which is projected to create quite large demand for national furniture and handicraft products. The US and European markets are the largest markets for national furniture and craft products.

"We continue to try to penetrate new markets, especially if we pay attention to the increasingly declining demand in traditional markets (US and Europe), where both regions are experiencing very large inflation. "For this reason, we anticipate that if the situation gets worse, we must utilize and optimize emerging markets, such as the Middle East, India and other Asian markets," explained Sobur. MSJ