Yusuf Diharnanto hails from Jepara, a small scruffy country
town 90 km northeast of Semarang on the island’s north
central coast. Noteworthy as home to some of the best traditional
carvers on Java, Jepara’s other name is Kota Ukir, “Carving
Town.” In 1994, Yusuf graduated from Diponegoro University
in Semarang, majoring in English Letters. Professionally,
he has held mostly marketing and selling positions, was once
a tutor in an English language school, and put in a stint
as an insurance agent. In 1997 settled into the furniture
business.
How did you get started in the furniture business?
A businessman in Jepara asked me to help him to approach a
buyer from Cyprus. From the start I found the furniture business
very interesting. In 2000, I met a businessman from Denpasar
and I introduced him to the marketing potential of the Internet.
I suggested that we create his own website, he liked my idea
very much, then recruited me for his marketing staff. It was
going very well, I got a business deal from a buyer from Alabama,
then from Australia but the Bali Bomb ruined everything. The
collapsed economy on Bali forced me to move back to
my hometown in Jepara and start all over again from zero with
Mita Furniture.
What makes your furniture company different from others in
the industry?
We can produce custom made products. People bring their own
designs to us to reproduce, using our factory as if it is
their own workplace. While we are working on their designs,
they are able to take full control of the crafting process.
Most of all we consider our professional and personal relationships
with our customers like members of one big happy family.
Where is the best market for your furniture?
Currently we have been shipping most of our product to Germany,
Italy and the Netherlands. Of course we keep searching for
new deals from new buyers from around the world.
What is the biggest challenge you are facing in your work?
Global competition! Especially from China and Vietnam who
sell their goods at very cheap prices. We are not afraid of
competition but it should be fair. I don’t understand
how these Asian countries can sell their goods at such cheap
prices. Even if we work on the thinnest of margins, we cannot
sell our goods at their prices. Also, world crisis and bad
political events in our own country are other big problems
in the business.
What do you like most about your job?
I like not only the furniture industry itself, but I like
meeting new people from around the world. I like the networking
part of the business, making international deals.
What are the best kinds of wood to use?
We get all of our wood from national plantations. In general,
we use solid woods like teak, mahogany, balau, yellow balau,
pine and acacia. These are the most common woods used for
furniture-making in Java. The most important is the wood we
use must be properly kiln-dried, otherwise there will be a
problem when we export the furniture.
Are there certain kinds of wood that are good for certain
types of furniture?
Teak and balau are best for outdoor/garden furniture and indoor
furniture as well. Most of the other kinds of wood we use
are only good for indoor furniture.
editor’s note: balau is the Indonesian word for various
species of commercial hardwood timber of the Shorea family.
What region or ethnic group makes the best furniture in Indonesia?
Making furniture is the life of Jeparanese for as long as
I can remember. It’s by far the best known and most
popular furniture-making center in Indonesia. However, now
the furniture industry is spreading to all around Java and
also taking hold in Bali and other regions of Indonesia.
Do you have a training program for your carpenters and workers?
No we don’t have a training program per se. They have
traditionally worked in the trade and are very fast learners
when it comes to recreating the new designs of our buyers.
Their families have made furniture for generations.
What are the most pressing issues facing the furniture industry
in Indonesia today?
The increasing price of wood, in particular teak and mahogany,
as per January 2006. This makes it very hard for us because
if we raise our selling price our buyers will resist. At the
same time, we want to continue to sell quality furniture.
This makes for a difficult situation!
Do you have any future plans for your company?
I would like to make Mita Furniture a real furniture manufacturer
producing precision machine-made products, especially in the
sector of outdoor garden furniture.
What are the things to look for when buying furniture?
Nice designs, good and sturdy construction, a warranty, and
reasonable prices. Last but not least, from the prospective
of a wholesale producer, I want production continuity as I
don’t like to do one day deals!
What advice can you give for someone interested in buying
good furniture?
When buying furniture for export, most of the problems arise
because the wood is not properly kiln-dried. This is an age-old
problem and the main reason why we have a proper kiln-drying
facility in our factory. Also the furniture must be well-constructed.
Don’t just look for cheap furniture but ask yourself
“Is the construction correct and is it strong enough?”
It’s better to pay a little more for better quality
furniture.
For more information on Mita Furniture, check out their website:
http://www.mitafurniture.com
For anyone interested in being considered for Siapa, please
contact : <pakbill2003@yahoo.com>
Copyright@2006 Al Hickey
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at www.BaliAdvertiser.biz
