In a successful endeavor, Indonesian building materials secured transactions amounting to USD 15.33 million or IDR 240.6 billion at the Saudi Build 2023 exhibition held at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center (RICEC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 6 to 9, 2023. The Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) highlights the significant participation of Indonesia, envisioning it as a gateway for the Indonesian building materials sector to enter the markets of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. Director-General of National Export Development at Kemendag, Didi Sumedi, expressed that this exhibition serves as an entry point for Indonesia's flagship building materials to contribute to global mega construction projects, both in the Saudi Arabian and Gulf markets. According to Didi, Indonesian building materials stand out not only in terms of durability but also in the uniqueness of specially designed products. These include aluminum extrusions, aluminum fabrications, fiber cement boards, furniture, coconut coir (cocopeat), home decorations, terrazzo stones, wall coatings, wall panels, as well as fruit and ornamental aroid plants.
Acting Director of Manufacturing Export Development at Kemendag, Merry Maryati, stated that the government is continuously promoting the increase in exports of Indonesian building materials to other countries. Kemendag, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, is committed to facilitating the ongoing efforts to boost the export of Indonesian building material products. This commitment is reinforced by electronically signed documents using electronic certificates issued by the Electronic Certification Institute to participate in other international building material exhibitions. Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) processed by the Ministry of Trade, in 2022, Saudi Arabia ranked 69th as the destination for Indonesian building material exports. The total value of Indonesian building material exports to Saudi Arabia amounted to USD 7.74 million, representing a 0.01% market share.
