Jakarta, 29 April 2021 – As a financial institution of the people, PT Bank Central Asia Tbk (BCA) is committed to providing opportunities for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to open their market to exports, including by holding a virtual Business Matching session as part of the series of the UMKM Fest, held from 16 April - 18 May 2021.
This virtual Business Matching session is a collaboration of BCA and the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, General Consulate of the Republic of Indonesia, International Trade Promotion Center (ITPC), and Correspondent Banks that present more than 100 prospective buyers from 30 countries across five continents.
“BCA paves the way for MSME actors to rise amid the pandemic, not only locally but also to have the ability to compete globally. Our established collaboration with a number of institutions is the right vehicle for MSMEs to promote their business for maximum results. These events can help encourage other MSME actors to rise and create new innovations,” said Freddy Iman, EVP of Commercial & SME Business of BCA.
These series of business matching sessions begin with a curation process to ensure that MSME players are ready to market their products for exports. Then, prospective buyers can choose the product that’s the right fit for them, such as food & beverage, sea products, furniture, fashion, art, and machinery and raw materials. After that, they will proceed with a mutually agreed upon meeting.
During the session, the BCA team will act as moderator, and a translator should there be language barrier among the MSME players and assist the presentation. BCA also offers free shipment facility for MSMEs that have secured a business commitment to send their product samples abroad.
As of Wednesday (28/04), 35 MSME players have participated in 49 business matching sessions with 86 foreign buyers, 19 sessions of which were a match and proceed to send product samples to prospective buyer countries, such as the United States of America, the Netherlands, Brazil, France, Finland, and Malaysia. Several local MSMEs have agreed to send samples, including Amura Griya who is sending Crispy Mushroom product samples to France, Artha Jaya Marindo is sending smoked fish products to the Netherlands, and Rendang Katuju who is sending rendang samples to Brazil. Not only that, ITPC Sao Paulo is committed to providing billboard facility at strategic locations to advertise Rendang Katuju in the capital city of Brazil.
BCA will help prepare banking solutions for MSMEs to successful exporting. However, for MSMEs who have not found a match during the business matching session, BCA will continue to provide assistance, one of which is through the Bangga Lokal program.
“Business Matching in the UMKM Fest is one of BCA’s innovations and support in promoting local products, advancing MSMEs, and opening up export opportunities for MSMEs. This confirms BCA’s commitment to supporting the government program to create 500,000 new exporters,” said Freddy.
According to data from the Ministry of Finance, Indonesia’s export performance in March 2021 reached US$18.35 billion or grew by 30.47% YoY. The increase in exports indicates the recovery and revival of the Indonesian and world economy. The government seeks to produce half a million exporters in nine years by launching the Accelerated Collaborative Production of 500,000 New Exporters by 2030.
For your information, the BCA UMKM Fest takes place from 16 April until 8 May 2021 on umkmfest.bca.co.id. visitors can explore more than 18,000 signature products from 1,700 participating merchants. They will also be pampered with discounts, auctions, and postage subsidies.
“BCA fully supports the role of MSMEs to bolster the Indonesian economy. This corresponds with our efforts to accelerate Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) realization. We hope that the UMKM Fest and Business Matching sessions can serve as a platform for MSMEs to be successful in domestic market and become a global player,” Freddy concluded.
BCA Paves the Way for MSMEs to Go International – A Virtual Business Matching session organized by BCA as a part of the BCA UMKM Fest. During the business matching session, BCA act as moderator to connect MSME players with prospective buyers. As of Wednesday (28/04), 35 MSME players have participated in 49 business matching sessions with 86 foreign buyers, 19 sessions of which were a match and proceed to send product samples to prospective buyer countries.
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About PT Bank Central Asia Tbk (as of 31st March 2021)
BCA is one of the leading commercial banks in Indonesia with the core business of transaction banking. BCA also offers a full range of financial services in consumer, SME, commercial and corporate segments. At the end of March 2021, BCA has the privilege of serving 25.0 million customer accounts, processing around 41 million of daily transactions through a network of 1,244 branches; 17,634 ATMs as well as the 24-hour internet & mobile banking systems; supported by 24/7 Halo BCA contact center. BCA’s presence is complemented by a number of subsidiaries focusing on vehicle financing, sharia banking, securities, general and life insurance, digital bank, remittance as well as venture capital business. BCA is committed to building lasting relationship with customers, putting people first, and making positive impact on society at large. With more than 24,000 employees, BCA's vision is to be the bank of choice and a major pillar of the Indonesian economy.
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For further information, please contact:
PT BANK CENTRAL ASIA TBK
Corporate Secretariat Division – Corporate Communication Sub-Division
Public Relations Bureau
Address : Jl. MH Thamrin No. 1
BCA Grand Indonesia Lt. 20
Jakarta Pusat
Phone : (021) 2358-8000
Fax : (021) 2358-8300
E-mail : humas@bca.co.id
