The Importance of SME Technological Innovation
Balikpapan, Thursday 01/10/2015. Technological Innovation in the field of Small and Medium Enterprises (UKM), especially in the tofu and tempeh industrial sector in the City
Balikpapan in order to increase production is very important for entrepreneurs so that production costs can be minimized so that they will maintain quality and prices on the market. This was stated by the Management of the Balikpapan Tahu Tempe Small Industrial Area Cooperative, Bahrun from the Balikpapan City Industrial Service.
Current market and consumer demand for tofu and tempeh products in Balikpapan City is increasing with the soaring prices of beef and fish in the Balikpapan market bringing blessings to tofu and tempeh craftsmen.
"If previously we were only able to produce a maximum of 5 tons per day, now we have reached 10 tons," with 70 stalls of tofu and tempeh craftsmen and a workforce of 300 people said Bahrun. This amount, according to Bahrun, does not fully meet the increasing market demand. Tofu and tempe craftsmen in Balikpapan occupy a special area of nine (9) hectares prepared by the Balikpapan City government since 2000.
"There are still tofu and tempeh businesses outside this area, but the target in 2016 is that all of them will be in this area," said Bahrun explaining to the Balikpapan Healthy City Verification team which came from the Ministry of Health and the East Kalimantan Provincial Government as well as at the Healthy Balikpapan City Forum at the Tahu-Tempe UKM Cooperative office.
Increasing tofu-tempeh production is very important by transferring technology with existing technological innovations to be more efficient both in terms of production costs and production time in line with increasing market demand. If initially business actors used simple soybean boiling equipment, now they use kettles which are able to produce heat more quickly with more production.
"We have been using this simple technology since 2007, and we will continue to develop it," said Bahrun. With this boiling kettle, business actors are able to reduce production costs by using more economical fuel, more efficient time and more water. These small business actors no longer have difficulty with raw materials because cooperatives have been provided in collaboration with distributors from Surabaya and Makassar.
The Tahu-Tempe Small Industrial Area is located in Somber, Batu Ampar Village, North Balikpapan. This area was formed by the Balikpapan City Government in order to accommodate tofu and tempeh craftsmen who were victims of fire with an area of 9 hectares which was used as a new industrial area of 4.5 hectares. This tofu-tempeh industrial area has created a waste processing system that is safe for the environment or has created a Waste Water Management Installation (IPAL) in collaboration with the Balikpapan City Environmental Agency.
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