THROUGH the 2024 Small Medium Enterprise Expo (Smexpo), PT Pertamina encourages micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to increase business income. Various activities are carried out to socialize Pertamina’s quality MSME products to the general public and the public stakeholders.
Carrying the theme ‘Local Becomes Vocal’, the event which will take place on 22-27 October 2024 at the Main Atrium Mall Kota Kasablanka, Jakarta, will feature 43 Pertamina-assisted MSMEs engaged in various fields, from handicrafts, culinary, to health and care products body.
“In this event we invite MSMEs not only to exhibit, but we also help open them networking or business network. “In terms of turnover, it can also increase,” said PT Pertamina (Persero) Vice President Corporate Communication Fadjar Djoko Santoso.
In this exhibition, Pertamina provides a platform for MSMEs to promote and market their products to the general public and various communities in Indonesia. This is done by offline through exhibitions and sessions live shopping.
Before today’s peak event, Pertamina has held a series of Smexpo 2024 in five cities, namely Palembang, Yogyakarta, Bandung, Makassar and Bandar Lampung. Pertamina Smexpo targets this year to record transactions of more than IDR 14.9 billion.
“If we look at transactions at Smexpo 2023, transactions of IDR 14.9 billion were recorded from five cities last year. This year the figure could be more than last year because it was in six cities,” explained Fadjar.
On the same occasion, the Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Maman Abdurrahman emphasized that the government continues to strive to improve the supply chain or supply chain (SC) between company and supplier networks to develop MSMEs. The MSME supply chain covers the entire process of production, distribution and marketing of products to final consumers.
“MSME players definitely hope for the presence of the government together stakeholder to increase their sales level. “We will improve the supply chain so that their products sell well,” said the Golkar Party politician.
He considers the Pertamina Smexpo 2024 event to be an effort to foster MSMEs to be more empowered and able to spread their business wings wider, and can even sell in foreign markets. According to Maman, if many corporations do the same thing as Pertamina does to become a mentor for the development of MSMEs, this will strengthen the foundation of the national economy.
“This is the importance of the existence of corporations to accompany MSMEs, together with the government so that MSMEs can become vocal and compete on the world stage,” he said.
Melinda, 30, a woven fashion product shop entrepreneur named Kainnesia, admitted that she was helped by Pertamina’s guidance, especially in terms of marketing. Invited to various activities since 2021, he said that many buyers have ordered his products, and they are even selling well on the international market.
“After Covid-19, our business was suspended. However, since being coached by Pertamina, our business has shot up to even the global market,” he said.
Melinda explained that Kainnesia’s average sales turnover before joining Pertamina’s mentored program was only around IDR 60 million-IDR 70 million per month. After participating in the program, his sales turnover jumped significantly to IDR 80 million-IDR 100 million per month.
“If calculated in a year, our turnover could reach IDR 2 billion. The role of this Pertamina development program is very significant for increasing our business,” he concluded. (E-2)
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Interview with Fadjar Djoko Santoso, Vice President of Corporate Communication at PT Pertamina
Interviewer: Thank you for joining us today, Fadjar. Can you tell us a bit about the objectives of the 2024 Small Medium Enterprise Expo, or Smexpo, that Pertamina is hosting?
Fadjar Djoko Santoso: Thank you for having me. The Smexpo 2024 aims to empower micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by providing them a platform to showcase their products and create valuable business networks. Our theme, “Local Becomes Vocal,” highlights our intention to give local MSMEs a voice in the marketplace.
Interviewer: That’s wonderful to hear. What can attendees expect to see at the event, and which types of businesses will be represented?
Fadjar Djoko Santoso: This year’s Smexpo will feature 43 MSMEs across a variety of sectors, including handicrafts, culinary delights, and health and personal care products. Attendees can expect a vibrant exhibition showcasing these quality products. We’re also introducing live shopping sessions to engage with the audience more interactively.
Interviewer: That’s quite an initiative! How do you see the impact of this expo on the growth of MSMEs?
Fadjar Djoko Santoso: By participating in the Smexpo, these businesses gain visibility and access to potential customers and collaborators. Last year, we recorded transactions of IDR 14.9 billion across five cities. This year, with the expo expanded to six cities, we’re targeting to surpass that figure, which would indicate significant growth for these MSMEs.
Interviewer: What has been the feedback from MSMEs involved in previous expositions, and what changes have you implemented based on that feedback?
Fadjar Djoko Santoso: We’ve received positive feedback from participating MSMEs who noted increased sales and networking opportunities. Based on their input, we have worked to enhance our marketing strategies and add more interactive elements like live shopping to make the experience more engaging for both exhibitors and visitors.
Interviewer: Collaboration is vital in this sector. How does Pertamina plan to support MSMEs beyond this expo?
Fadjar Djoko Santoso: We’re committed to ongoing support for MSMEs, including business training and development sessions. Our goal is to assist them in improving their supply chain processes, so their products can reach consumers more efficiently.
Interviewer: Lastly, what is your hope for the future of MSMEs in Indonesia following events like Smexpo?
Fadjar Djoko Santoso: I hope to see an empowered community of MSMEs that are not only sustainable but also competitive on a larger scale. The government’s support, along with initiatives like Smexpo, plays a crucial role in this vision.
Interviewer: Thank you, Fadjar, for sharing your insights today. We look forward to seeing the positive changes this expo brings to Indonesia’s MSME landscape.
Fadjar Djoko Santoso: Thank you for having me! We are excited about the future and the impact Smexpo will have on our MSMEs.
Interview with Fadjar Djoko Santoso, Vice President of Corporate Communication at PT Pertamina
Interviewer: Thank you for joining us today, Fadjar. Can you tell us a bit about the objectives of the 2024 Small Medium Enterprise Expo, or Smexpo, that Pertamina is hosting?
Fadjar Djoko Santoso: Thank you for having me. The Smexpo 2024 aims to empower micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by providing them a platform to showcase their products and create valuable business networks. Our theme, “Local Becomes Vocal,” highlights our intention to give local MSMEs a voice in the marketplace.
Interviewer: That’s wonderful to hear. What can attendees expect to see at the event, and which types of businesses will be represented?
Fadjar Djoko Santoso: This year’s Smexpo will feature 43 MSMEs across various sectors, including handicrafts, culinary delights, and health and personal care products. Attendees can expect a vibrant exhibition showcasing these quality products. We’re also introducing live shopping sessions to engage with the audience more interactively.
Interviewer: That’s quite an initiative! How do you see the impact of this expo on the growth of MSMEs?
Fadjar Djoko Santoso: By participating in the Smexpo, these businesses gain visibility and access to potential customers and collaborators. Last year, we recorded transactions of IDR 14.9 billion across five cities. This year, with the expo expanded to six cities, we’re targeting to surpass that figure, which would indicate significant growth for these MSMEs.
Interviewer: What has been the feedback from MSMEs involved in previous expositions, and what changes have you implemented based on that feedback?
Fadjar Djoko Santoso: We’ve received positive feedback from participating MSMEs, who noted increased sales and networking opportunities. Based on their input, we’ve enhanced our promotional strategies and provided additional training to better equip them for market demands. This continuous improvement is key to ensuring that our initiatives align with the needs of these businesses.
Interviewer: Thank you, Fadjar, for sharing these insights. What do you hope to achieve by the end of this year’s Smexpo?
Fadjar Djoko Santoso: Ultimately, we hope to celebrate the successes of our MSMEs, facilitate meaningful connections, and contribute to their growth. We want the Smexpo experience to empower these entrepreneurs not just to survive, but to thrive in both local and global markets.
Interviewer: Thank you for your time, Fadjar. We look forward to seeing the outcomes of Smexpo 2024!