Rely on Digitalization, BUMN SIG House Helps Batik Rembang UMKM Break into Global Market

Photo: Dok. Semen Indonesia Group (SIG)

JAKARTA - Starting from a hobby of drawing since elementary school, Hawien Wilopo has successfully built the Batik Tulis Lasem business with the brand Gunung Kendil in Rembang, Central Java. His expertise in applying ink from the canting that forms a modern motif while still maintaining the batik pattern, has gained a place in the hearts of local people to foreign countries. At least, 150 batik works in the form of fabric and finished clothes, are sold out every month, with a turnover of Rp. 20 million or around Rp. 150 million per year. His success is acknowledged thanks to the support of the BUMN House of PT Semen Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (SIG) in Rembang which is managed by its subsidiary, PT Semen Gresik.

"I don't have a background in batik. In the beginning of 2010, a friend asked for help to make a design for his batik business. I see how it always sells out. Until 2012, I took a batik training and decided to make my own business. My business was busy at that time, until the Covid-19 pandemic made sales decrease. Thank God, I got information about RB Rembang and joined in 2021," recalled Hawien Wilopo, in his statement, Tuesday, May 5.

In RB Rembang, Hawien Wilopo received a lot of training and guidance, ranging from business management, optimization of digital platforms for marketing, to being involved in a number of exhibitions. His work also often appears at fashion shows which make the Batik Tulis Lasem Gunung Kendil brand more widely known.

A number of prestigious exhibitions that he has participated in, including the Tong Tong Festival in Den Haag, Netherlands in 2022, the Future SMEs Village Side Event G20 in Bali in 2022, the UMKM Bazaar in Sarinah Jakarta in 2023, and Inacraft in Jakarta in 2024. Being able to participate in national and international exhibitions is a proud experience that Hawien Wilopo, who has never thought of his business, has never thought of.

Hawien Wilopo admitted that his decision to join RB Rembang as a partner was the turning point for his business after the pandemic. Slowly, his business gradually recovered. The optimization of the digital platform makes customers come not only from Java Island but from all corners of the archipelago, such as Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, to Bali. Even more impressive, fans of his work come from abroad, such as Germany, Belgium, Italy, Korea and Japan.

To meet customer orders, Hawien Wilopo now employs seven employees to help him. Even if there are many orders, he also empowers the surrounding community. The Batik Tulis Lasem Gunung Kendil product, which is worked with great care, is priced at a range of Rp. 200 thousand - Rp. 7 million for batik cloth, while for ready-made clothes Rp. 600 thousand - Rp. 800 thousand.

"Thank you SIG and Semen Gresik for presenting RB Rembang as a platform for us UMKM. I am very happy to be able to join RB Rembang. The existence of RB Rembang is very helpful for UMKM to grow. Hopefully RB Rembang will continue to exist so that it can accompany us as UMKM activists," said Hawien Wilopo.

SIG Corporate Secretary, Vita Mahreyni said, SIG appreciates the proud achievement of Batik Tulis Lasem Gunung Kendil. In addition to promoting batik as one of Indonesia's cultural assets to foreign countries, this RB Rembang-trained UMKM also opens up employment opportunities for the community.

"Hopefully in the future there will be more and more successful MSMEs that develop their business so that they can contribute more to regional economic growth. SIG through RB Rembang is committed to always accompanying MSMEs so that they can run their business professionally and be able to utilize digital platforms so that their products can be reached nationally and internationally," said Vita Mahreyni.