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Indrawan and Budi Bring Garut Skin to Fly Higher

Name: Indrawan and Budi Bring Garut Skin to Fly Higher
Uploaded: 2024-04-25T15:03:55Z
Duration: 20 min 32 s
Description: Indrawan and Budi's collaboration advances the leather tanning industry in Garut to become airline seat materials.

Indrawan and Budi's collaboration advances the leather tanning industry in Garut to become airline seat materials.

This article has been translated using AI. See Original .

FABIO MARIA LOPES COSTA

· 6 minutes read

The collaboration of Indrawan S Adji and Budi Kisrimanto took the leather tanning industry in Garut Regency, West Java, to a higher level. The product penetrates the national market and becomes airline seat material.

The parking lot in front of Garut Makmur Perkasa (GMP) factory on Jenderal Sudirman Street, Garut, appeared deserted at the end of March 2024. However, it is not the same for activities in a building with an area of 6,700 square meters, which has become one of the largest leather processing industries in West Java.

At least 30 of the 74 PT Garut Makmur Perkasa workers heard the roar of production machines. In front of them, 24 3 meter high wooden drums were lined up which are usually called molen. In the future, tanned cow and sheep skin will be used as raw material for shoes, jackets, car seats and airplane seats.

I must ensure that employees work competently and use innovative and state-of-the-art tools to achieve optimal results.

Among the workers, Budi Kisrimanto, as the consultant for Product Development and GMP Techniques, carefully monitors every production process. Occasionally, the 61-year-old man communicates with several workers during his duty.

Despite being a consultant, Budi refuses to just stay in his air-conditioned room. His workday is mostly spent in various corners of the factory.

Also read: Airplane Leather Seats from Garut, Made by Indonesian Children Compete for the Highest Places

For example, on that day, Budi conducted inspections on the feasibility of every facility in GMP. The technology used follows the latest developments of the era. He also prepared procedures and work standards for wastewater treatment facilities to prevent pollution of the environment resulting from production output.

Budi has been undergoing this process since joining GMP in 2019. The role of this graduate of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Huddersfield, England, ensures that every stage of production from raw materials to finished products is of perfect quality.

"The consultant's task is not only to oversee every stage of product production. I have to ensure that employees work competently and use innovative and sophisticated tools to achieve optimal results," said Budi.

Approximately 100 meters from the factory, Chief Operating Officer GMP Indrawan S Adji (57) was also not idle. At that time, he was meeting with one of the producer's chemical suppliers for processing cowhide in his workspace. After the meeting with his partner, Indrawan hurried to meet one of his employees in a room.

During the meeting, Indrawan verified several pieces of leather that had gone through the final production stage. The leather products were for the seats of one of Lion Air Group's planes.

Indrawan's hand gently touches the skin. His eyes carefully examine every surface area of the skin. For him, the final verification of product quality is crucial before it is sent to consumers.

Retirement is a blank sheet of paper. This is an opportunity to redesign your life into something new and different.

As the highest leader of PT GMP, Indrawan's role is to evaluate and approve the implementation of all regulations and operational stages at the factory.

"Budi's task is to ensure that every process and tool used follows the correct procedures. My task is to ensure that the quality of our leather products meets consumer demands," said Indrawan.

Not the end

American financial planner and author of the book Winning at Retirement, Patrick Foley, once said, “Retirement is a blank sheet of paper. This is an opportunity to redesign your life into something new and different.”

This quote is in line with the life story of Indrawan and Budi. Before joining GMP, both of them worked at the same place, PT Mastroto Indonesia in Sentul, Bogor. Mastroto was involved in leather tanning.

There, Indrawan acted as factory leader. Budi became the quality manager. Both retired in 2019.

However, their expertise is too valuable to be forgotten. The owner of PT GMP, a subsidiary of the PT Widodo Makmur Perkasa group, asked Indrawan to lead GMP at the beginning of 2020. Indrawan then invited his colleague Budi to help him revolutionize GMP once again.

"Rather than becoming senile after retirement, Budi and I chose the challenge of revitalizing GMP. I focus on the technique of preparing leather products, while Budi on the operational system," said Indrawan.

GMP, which was established in 2014 before being taken over by Indrawan and Budi, was just a leather tanning company for consumers in Garut and several districts and cities in West Java. The quality of its products was only for the local market.

Product orders received are only around 30,000-50,000 square feet. 1 square foot measures 929 centimeters. The reason is inadequate work tools. The technology is still limited.

Airplane seats

Their collaboration brought a significant impact for GMP. The product quality also improved to a premium level. GMP's product buyers from various institutions and big companies came in droves.

The selling price of GMP products with standard quality ranges from IDR 30,000 to IDR 34,000 per 1 square foot. Meanwhile, premium quality products can reach IDR 50,000 per 1 square foot.

A large order began from the Indonesian military for shoe materials in 2020-2023. In addition, there are also 12,000 leather jackets in 2021.

Foreign shoe companies and a number of mining equipment companies are also interested. Shoes are not only worn for style, but also for mining work.

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The leather seats of one of Lion Air Group's planes, the Super Air Jet, have been using synthetic leather material produced by PT Garut Makmur Perkasa since the end of 2023. Garut Makmur Perkasa, located in Garut Regency, West Java, supplied the leather raw materials for 12 aircraft owned by Lion Air Group.

Until finally, the order for cow leather for the seats of 12 Lion Air Group planes will arrive at the end of 2023. This time, the process is being carried out in more detail. It takes almost a year to produce aircraft leather seats that meet aviation industry standards.

Before ordering aircraft seats, GMP leather products have met trials in the laboratories of the National Research and Innovation Agency and Leather, Rubber and Plastic Center of Yogyakarta.

Production Manager of PT Batam Aero Teknik, Budi Yuwono, revealed that GMP leather products meet the most crucial testing stage for aviation safety, which is fire resistance. GMP leather products, when burned, do not spread beyond 12 inches or 30.48 centimeters.

Fire resistance tests for GMP leather were conducted at the BRIN laboratory and Design Organization Approval (DOA) in Bandung, under the supervision of the Ministry of Transportation.

Now, GMP products have spread to all corners of the archipelago with the airline. Indrawan and Budi's hard work, along with their employees, have managed to transform a company from a local market into a premium brand in Indonesia.

"We are very proud to be one of the leather tanning MSMEs from Garut that has penetrated the national market. "Hopefully it can provide inspiration for other companies," said Indrawan.

Indrawan Suwidya Adji

Place, date of birth: Yogyakarta, August 6 1966

Last education:

Bachelor's Degree in Law and Diploma 4 in Mechanical Engineering at Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta

Budi Kisrimanto

Place, date of birth: Solo, Central Java, October 8 1962

Last education:

Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering University of Huddersfield, England.