Behind Improved Comfort of Walk ASEAN Summit Guests of State

Floor covering is one of the elements that the Indonesian government included in the directory of what to be best prepared for the organization of an international forum. Not only must it look attractive in the eyes of guests and camera reporters but the the floor coverings for events such as the 43rd ASEAN Summit on 5—7 September 2023 must also be comfortable and safe for heads of state and invited guests.

At the recent 43rd ASEAN Summit at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC), local accents radiated from the local-made rugs used to cover the venues’ floors. Two domestic companies, PT Lung Victory Carpet and PT Classic Prima Carpet, were two of the many rug vendors for the JCC event. Even more remarkable was the fact that both companies, which are overseen by the Ministry of Industry, collaborated with Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises in their business.

“Our production scale is industrial. However, we still involve MSMEs who will utilize the extra yarn to create mats,” said Lysawati from PT Classic Prima Carpet.

The company’s carpet production process starts with knotting the tufts, followed by weaving them and adding a backing structure. The thickness of the yarn will determine the thickness of the rug. Of course, the thicker the crug, the softer it will be.

The company, which originated in Surabaya, has been operating since 1984, connecting entrepreneurs with the government. “If we have problems or obstacles, the ministry will direct us to find the solution,” said Lysawati.
Although she admits that the company still faces obstacles, such as finding quality materials for the rugs, especially for important guests, the Ministry of Industry is always present to provide solutions.

“There is currently no production of grass yarn made in Indonesia, for example. The raw materials must be imported, unfortunately. However, the government is very supportive of industries like ours by imposing BMDP (government-borne import duty),” she added.

She obtained the experience of working on a demand to provide rugs or the 43rd ASEAN Summit from a contractor. So, all she had to do was provide what was needed. Nevertheless, she feels proud that the company is involved in such a big event. “I can’t recall the number of times I’ve participated in big events, but it’s definitely not the first time. We are certainly proud,” she explained.

Meanwhile, Chintya Bella, who represented PT Lung Victory Carpet, also said that she was proud to be entrusted with participating in a major event representing Indonesia.

“We are extremely proud to be an independent company. Our involvement as a supplier for the 43rd Summit demonstrates the superiority of our products and services. Clearly, our products are not inferior to those of other countries,” she said.

Over the years, her company has frequently worked on carpeting for office buildings. Established in 1994, the company’s carpet machines, Chintya said, now include additional handtufted, axminster, wilton, cutloop, robotufted, and sewing machines.

The entire production process takes place in Bandung, the company’s headquarters. “We now have 60 employees. We also empower MSMEs responsible for winding the threads,” added Chintya.

According to her, a good carpet is solid, fire-resistant, and durable in design. To face competition, she emphasized the importance of good service. As a company assisted by the Ministry of Industry, Chintya is very grateful to have received training, for example on topics such as import restrictions and the imposition of income tax for imported raw materials.

Advancing the domestic industry can indeed start by empowering local entrepreneurs. “I think we need more government support to promote local products,” said Lysawati.

International events such as the current ASEAN Summit are one of the efforts to introduce local products. Domestic industries need to be encouraged to increase and ultimately improve the Indonesian economy.
If guests felt very comfortable walking on the rugs coveringt the JCC floors, and they were easy to clean, this indicates highest quality. Given that only the finest materials were used, the carpets were certainly of the highest quality. All of this demonstrates that local Indonesian products are competitive enough to perform in international forums.