Kohler Builds New Factory in Indonesia for Export Focus
Kohler Co, the American manufacturing company that is best known for the manufacturing of plumbing products, furniture, cabinetry, and tiles, is busy expanding its business in Indonesia by developing a new factory on a two-hectares plot of land in the Greenland International Industrial Center (GIIC) in Bekasi (West Java).
Ferry Tanumihardja, Kohler's Country Director for Indonesia, said Indonesia contains great potential due to the nation's huge population and rising economic growth. Moreover, Indonesia is targeted to function as the basis for accessing other markets in Southeast Asia in the future. The new Kohler factory will therefore focus on manufacturing sanitary and kitchen products for export purposes.
Currently, Kohler owns 50 factories in various countries around the globe (ten of which are located in China). It took two years of study and negotiations before Kohler decided to build a new factory in Indonesia. The first stone of the new factory in Bekasi is expected to be laid on 28 November 2017.
Hongky Nantung, President Director of Indonesia-based integrated property developer Puradelta Lestari (the company that owns and manages GIIC), said Kohler's investment (namely the acquisition of the land and development of the factory) is "significant". It is estimated that the new factory can provide employment opportunities to at least 1,000 Indonesian workers.
Greenland International Industrial Center (GIIC) in Bekasi welcomes the arrival of big foreign investors that bring added value to the Indonesian economy. GIIC has a total size of 3,000 hectares. However, 2,000 hectares are already in use by industries and other property. Puradelta Lestari particularly targets to obtain more clients in the automotive manufacturing industry. Earlier, it put its full-year 2017 industrial land sale target at the estate at 60 hectares.
