The Ministry of Industry, as the government's front line in industrial development, continues working to accelerate national economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. One strategic step is optimizing the role of small and medium industries (SMIs), the dominant business sector in Indonesia.
“SMIs have been the backbone of the national economy. Their capacity therefore needs to be increased so they can compete globally,” Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said in Jakarta on Monday (25/4).
The Minister said positive growth in national industry is also supported by the outstanding performance of SMIs. “Compared with other economic sectors, industry contributes the most to national GDP, at 17.36% in 2021,” he said.
Industry has shown its performance as the main driver of the national economy, contributing 17.36% of national GDP in 2021, with economic growth reaching 3.67%.
To increase SMIs' role through applying technology, Kemenperin, through the Agency for Industrial Standardization and Services Policy (BSKJI), has developed a program called Strengthening Industry through Technology Optimization (PINOTI).
“PINOTI is a program aimed at growing and strengthening SMI capabilities through technology optimization such as diagnostic facilitation, technology solutions, mentoring, certification, product testing and intellectual property facilitation, to grow self-reliant, competitive technology-based industries,” said the Head of BSKJI, Doddy Rahadi.
Doddy said all Technical Service Units (UPT) under BSKJI are ready to accommodate the aspirations of industry players across Indonesia to boost productivity, quality and efficiency in processing and production systems. BSKJI currently has 11 Centers and 12 Offices for Industrial Standardization and Services.
“We realize SMIs have a great variety of products. They are therefore expected to serve broad markets, be a source of income for the public and be resilient to various crises,” he said.
The Head of the Center for Optimizing Industrial Technology Use and Industrial Services Policy (Pusat OPTIKJI), Heru Kustanto, explained that rapidly advancing technology needs to be used by national SMIs to survive by adapting their businesses to be more productive and efficient. “The role of industrial technology is therefore important in realizing self-reliant, competitive SMIs,” he said.
To make PINOTI registration and mentoring easier, Pusat OPTIKJI has developed a website-based information system that SMIs can easily access. “It contains several menus and explanations that can be used further,” Heru added.
Heru added that PINOTI also supports strengthening industry, especially new industrial entrepreneurs, by providing coworking space, optimizing technology use, capacity building such as technical and management training, market tests, exhibitions, certification and intellectual property registration, and networking with markets, businesses, industry associations, banks, technology providers, universities and investors to grow self-reliant, competitive technology-based industries.
Source: Press Release of the Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Indonesia