reBlog from Oneuni: Jepara handmade wood furniture sourcing, (the clues which are turning into blues)

Quote of: Furniture from Jepara behind the Clues.

Oneuni wrote:Need to emphasize that: the copy-antique reproduction furniture of Jepara-town are handmade stuff with hand tools ! Not more than 2 digits figure that are made by semi machine process. As for the Integrate manufacturing ones, no more than 30 units factories which are still running and or survives. Those are aprox 1% of Jepara's products.

Merely 85% of the raw furniture(Ina=Mentahan) are made by villagers as a home made woodworking, so called as craftsmen(Ina=pengrajin) and a part of it are made in the workshop of private owned, doing the small scale industry by hiring few woodworkers(=tukang kayu) and carvers(=pengukir) to make the un-finished raw furniture. so called as little boss(=Juragan).

About 10% are the trader or broker that ordering and or bought the raw wood furniture from both, as said above (craftsmen and small Industries). It is called as Suppliers. They are doing: sortiments, re-built, sanding etc. Mainly are to face-up or enhancing the raw furniture 'in all the way' before it will go to exporter's warehouse for passing an inspection . Particularly their involves are in financing to the sub-cont.and craftsmen, it is for buying the wood and payroll weekly-wages(Ina=Kamisan) of the Craftsmen.

Whilst, the rest of 4% are the warehouse, those are the exporters in Jepara-town, which are doing mostly: finishing & upholsteries. but even so the finishing & upholstry job is mostly been sub contracted to the local subcon. They get the raws or white pieces from either one of the 3 aboves(Craftsmen+little bossy+supplier/broker)
Oneuni, Jepara handmade wood furniture sourcing, (the clues which are turning into blues), Jul 2009                                                                        You should read the whole article.

How to Deal with Jepara's furniture Exporter ?

Oneuni wrote:
Trade safely  with Jepara's exporter or supplier, read this?

To Whom that you deal with ?
- Foreigner, ex patriarch
- Non Javanese ethnic , Other island outside Java
- Non Jepara (nese), but coming from Java island
- Jeparanese, Javanese ethnic.

What is the exporter companies in Indonesia ?
- PT =  Coy Ltd are: PMA(foreigner), PMDN(Domestic), Private sectors
- CV = Joint venture by Private sectors or family's own
- UD = Personal trading /Private or home business
- Others= Buying agent, sourcing, broker or other personal services.

What licenses for being an exporter of wooden furniture ?
- ETPIK (Permanent Exporter of  wood-industry manufacturer)= export license
- SIUP= Company's Trade license (by Trade & Industry office/GOV)
- NPWP = Tax -registrar number.
- Akta Pendirian = Legal company (Notary or solicitor) for CV & PT.

How to verify company in Indonesia, especially Jepara ?
After formality or legal aspects above, further verification Must do:
- As for the papers are just papers, need to check the actual condition/activity.
  Many of those exporters/companies are sleeping company/dormant and inactive.
- The Owner/key person ? most of those companies(PT or CV) are fully controlled by
   individual act(personal) whilst all the papers are just for formality.
   On finger-counting only that are implementing "Management-role".
   In some cases, the directors and Managers are seem to be as in the Puppet show.
- Get the contact person's details:  ID card, recent address, home address and phone.
   Bio-data and family's back ground, whilst Cell/mobile phone number are unwise,
   with 3 US-D anyone can get a new number mobile phone-line.
- Whilst for the Website!?! first page's rating and page-rank !? again it is only Virtual/Maya.
  You only believe with what you'd got/proven, not from what you read and hear.!?!
   Do not 'be a Victim' of propaganda/advertising or SEO pomo ! And please check what is the rank
  of  Indonesian scamer at worldwide-forum, Interpol, cyber-cops, FBI etc. at Google.

Which resources that could be the reliable one ?
Relatively, it is return to your expectation/requirement indeed.
It is a long way to go for it, a few stage/steps for trial and evaluate Must Do !
Little Tips for it:
- Ask for the "References" about the company's reputation and quality from their last buyer
  or existing ones, then cross check it to those clients/buyers about this supplier.
- Ask and find where they had shipped/exported the furniture and see it there.
  If not, a sample for approval/presentation must acquire. However, still keep in your mind:                
  "The Sample may be fine, but how are the main order(quantity) would be?                                        
  "Will it be consistent ? The wise is:"You come down or send your QC team to monitor as prevention! 
   and do a Pre-shipment inspection !!"
- The flying hours ?!, how long they had been in the business and doing on certain range items,
   a very wide range in style/design are need specialize and experiences.  Not all kinds/categories
   that one could achieve it in a few years only.

Other articles in sourcing for doing trade:

• Lessons and Impressions from Indonesia (ben.casnocha.com)
• The China CEO Gift-Giving Scam (safelysourcingchina.com)
• You: Timber mafia fells Borneo rainforest (guardian.co.uk)
• Are You Ready For The New EU Regulation on Illegal Timber? (prweb.com)
• Partners of Custom Hand Made Solid Wood Furniture - Hand Carved Art Furniture (prweb.com)