Pertamina Provides Ways to Innovate; This Fostered MSME Promotes Garut Genuine Leather Products

Jakarta, January 29, 2021 - Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have an essential role in driving Indonesia's economic growth. Realizing this, Pertamina, through the Partnership Program, seeks to increase the effectiveness of this role through several programs. For example, the program to accelerate the MSMEs to upgrade, namely Pertamina UMKM Academy and many other programs.

One of Pertamina's small business owners who received these benefits is Gunawan. Gun's Leather Gallery's owner is one of the UMKM Academy participants who successfully passed and graduated. For almost two months, he received several valuable materials for the advancement of his business.

"There are many things to be obtained. Among them, increasing our knowledge as a fostered partner in doing digital marketing and increase our readiness to be adaptive to technology. There is product standardization, training in branding management, and the use of appropriate technology," he said.

Before becoming Pertamina's partners in 2012, Gunawan's business only focused on the leather tanning process. However, after receiving input from Pertamina, it has expanded into finished products. "Finally, we made leather jackets, bags, shoes, and other leather accessories. The value of the product can increase many times," he added.

With the development of a business based on Jalan Gagak Lumayung, Kelurahan Kota Wetan, Garut, West Java, Gunawan needs to recruit more workers. Twenty employees are spread across several sections, such as factories, shops, and tailors. Gunawan empowers the community around his place of business to help his economy. It is one of the implementations of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) in the social sector.

The price of IDR 1 million to IDR 5 million for Gun's Leather products does not make customers frown. Now the business he has started has paid off. He has two stores, as Gun's Leather showroom, with an average monthly turnover of up to IDR 150 million. Besides marketing in the city of Garut, Gunawan also sells to several cities such as the Balikpapan, Kalimantan, Jakarta area.

Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations of Pertamina, Agus Suprijanto, added that Pertamina will always support the development of local products like Gunawan did. Therefore, it can help the progress of regional to national economic potential. "We are optimistic that the fostered partners will be able to develop and upgrade. As well as implementing SDGs point 8 by helping people around them and supporting economic growth," he closed.**