Dok-ing, Eurocable and Energo-spektar will collaborate with Indonesia

Branko Roglić, owner of the Orbic group, and Sumadi Kusuma, owner of the Indonesian company Global Putra International Group, signed a contract to establish joint-venture companies in Croatia, Indonesia, and China.

The first joint-venture company will be established in Zagreb, where Roglić will hold 51 percent and the Indonesian partner 49 percent of the shares, followed by joint ventures in Indonesia and Hong Kong, where the ownership shares will be reversed, while profits will be shared equally. The joint companies will engage in the exchange of goods between Europe and Indonesia and vice versa.

– Our intention is to import goods from Indonesia through these companies and distribute them through Orbic’s channels in 17 European countries, as well as to export European goods, including Croatian goods, to Indonesia. The idea is for everything to go through Croatia and Croatian ports. I believe this is a great opportunity for the Croatian economy and for Croatia, as a large volume of goods will pass through our ports. Additionally, the goal is to strengthen the sale of Croatian goods to the Asian market – said Roglić at a press conference in Zagreb.

For bulk cargo and oils, the Port of Ploče will be used, while most container transport will take place through the Port of Rijeka. This involves trading all types of southern fruits, wood, furniture, and coal. Indonesians have the best wood in the world – teak, mahogany, and other precious woods, and their coal is, Roglić said, of the best quality in the world, with only 0.5 percent sulfur, thus not polluting the environment. In this regard, Roglić, in addition to market placement throughout Europe, sees potential cooperation with the future thermal power plant Plomin 3.

– What Europe needs will be imported, and all goods will go through Croatia, just as Hong Kong and Singapore do – said Roglić. On the other hand, machinery, technology, and knowledge will be exported from Europe to the Far East.

As it was learned, during the three-day visit of the Indonesian delegation to Croatia, three domestic companies established contact with partners from Indonesia and concrete business cooperation is expected. These are Dok-ing, a manufacturer of demining machines, Energo-spektar, which plans to import palm oil from Indonesia and produce biodiesel in Ploče, and the Eurocable group, which would sell its cables in Indonesia and import aluminum and copper from there.

The joint Croatian-Indonesian company in Croatia will be led by Orbic’s staff member Admir Duraković, and its headquarters will be in Zagreb on Koturaška Street, where the Orbico group is also headquartered. Orbico has so far expanded into 17 countries, covering Central and Southeast Europe with the addition of Austria and Germany, and with this business move, it opens up large and rapidly growing Asian markets. Indonesia is the seventh fastest-growing economy in the world, recording a GDP growth of seven percent. The value of Global Putra International Group, the largest logistics provider between China and Indonesia, is estimated at six billion dollars, and Kusuma, as the owner of the logistics company, is interested in entering the European market. In addition to business with the seaports of Rijeka and Ploče, Kusuma has shown interest in acquiring Osijek Airport and creating a logistics base for the placement of goods in the European market.