Still hampered Tin Crafts Business HR and Technology

Since the year 1710, Bangka Island is one of the regions in Indonesia being the largest tin producer in the world. Bangka Island is located in the Province of Bangka Belitung Islands.

As a resident of tin producing region, was not surprised if some of the Bangka Island communities that rely on commodity source of livelihood of these mines.

One is Budi Purnomo. 44-year-old man opened the tin craft business since 1985. Location managed tin craft was in Jalan Jenderal Sudirman, County Louth.

With the help of six employees, Budi making various handmade products of tin. Among others, key chains and miniature ship-shaped, bird, dragon, anchors, and various other forms of decoration.

Since 2004, tin craft business run by Budi became partners of PT Timah Tbk. By being built, Budi received funding support from mining companies in the red plates. Not just that, the raw material is also derived from an existing factory of PT Timah Mentor area.

Budi said, the process of making a simple tin craft products. The tools used only cauldron, regular stove, and printing. Various forms of printed copies, as needed.

To process the tin to produce handicrafts, Budi melt tin bar through fire heating technique with the boiling point of 250 degrees Celsius.

Raw material tin bar which had been withdrawn at regular skillet and stove, and then inserted into the mold.

To produce various handicrafts lead, he needs at least 50 kilograms of lead per month. Unfortunately, Facebook does not mention how many handicraft products which can be produced from the tin that much.

What is clear, he said, he could rake in revenue of USD 15 million to Rp 30 million per month.

Budi membanderol craft goods based on the model and level of difficulty in making it. Items that banderolnya kerajinana cheapest key chains that cost is USD 25 000 per seed. While the most expensive craft is a miniature ship, which cost Rp 1.5 million to Rp 15 million per unit.

In raising these tin craft business, Budi still hampered in marketing. Currently, most new products are marketed in around Bangka Belitung. Most orders come from local government and PT Timah.

Another obstacle is the limited staff and technology. Since both of these factors, Budi had refused orders from the Middle East as much as 1000 units of miniature ships.

Understandably, to make one unit of medium-size miniature ship, it took him a week. While the prospective buyer asks orders completed within two months. We were not able to meet all orders in a short time, because the manual production tools.