Press Release

PT Indo Bagus Slat is the New WWF's Global Forest & Trade Network Participant

Jakarta, Indonesia. May 25, 2009 – Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN) welcomes its newest participant through GFTN-Indonesia today. The new participant is PT Indo Bagus Slat (IBS), a CoC FSC holder who produce pencil slat products which served as raw material for pencil production. Located in Palembang, South Sumatra, IBS was established in 1999.

Previously, IBS is a domestic capital ownership company, but since 2003, the company changed its status to foreign capital ownership as the German stakeholder, Faber-Castell Aktiengesellschaft, hold 91% of the shares. Therefore, the company sold almost all their products to Faber-Castell German. Only smaller volume went to Iran and Pakistan.

The raw materials for IBS pencil slat are sourced from production forests in Borneo, Colombia and Solomon Island. Since 2006, IBS started to import FSC certified gmelina from Kolombangara Forest Product Ltd (KFPL) which manages 39,402 ha of gmelina in Ringgi Cove, Kolombangara, Western Province, Solomon Island. KPFL holds CoC certificate from Woodmark Soil Association Certification Ltd. Starting 2008 IBS procuring gmelina and cindrelo (cedo) wood in sawnlogs from Imex Colombia Ltd. in Colombia. Those Colombian timbers were not coming from certified forest but categorized as “legal source”. 

“The FSC certification is a verification of IBS commitment for only purchasing and producing wood from well managed forest and achieve well forest management standard,” said GFTN-Indonesia Coordinator Aditya Bayunanda.

PT Indo Bagus Slat Director Suwandi Liaw stated that through Global Forest & Trade Network participation, he is hoping that IBS could get more market link to gmelina timber coming from local market or other tropical countries”.

Indonesia is associated closely to negative image in its forestry sector, such as illegal logging and deforestation. Therefore, engaging with local timber companies and forest concessions that are committed to achieve responsible forest management are strategic key for GFTN in attaining better image for Indonesian forestry business.

About World Wildlife Fund
For more than 45 years, WWF has been protecting the future of nature. The largest multinational conservation organization in the world, WWF works in 100 countries and is supported by 1.2 million members in the United States and close to 5 million globally. WWF's unique way of working combines global reach with a foundation in science, involves action at every level, from local to global, and ensures the delivery of innovative solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature. Go to worldwildlife.org to learn more.

About PT Indo Bagus Slat
PT Indo Bagus Slat (IBS) established in 1999 and is a company specialized in production and marketing activity of pencil slat products which served as raw material for pencil production. Previously, IBS is a domestic capital ownership company, but since 2003, the company changed its status to foreign capital ownership as the German stakeholder, Faber-Castell Aktiengesellschaft, hold 91% of the shares. The pencil slat manufacture factory facility is located in Upang Jaya village, Makarti Jaya, Palembang, South Sumatra. The raw materials are sourced from production forests in Borneo, Colombia and Solomon Island. In November 2007, IBS receives FSC Chain of Custody (CoC) certificate from LGA Inter Cert. which located in Germany with registration no. IC-COC-100004.

About the Global Forest & Trade Network
The Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN) is WWF’s initiative to combat illegal and unsustainable logging. The Network promotes responsible management of valuable and threatened forests in the Amazon, Amur-Heilong (Russia), Borneo, Sumatra, Congo, Mekong (Southeast Asia) and other areas where forests are threatened. GFTN assists companies in evaluating their procurement and implementing appropriate action plans to ensure sustainable supply. By facilitating trade links between companies committed to responsible forestry, the GFTN creates market conditions that help conserve forests while providing economic and social benefits for the businesses and people that depend on them. More than 370 companies are members of the GFTN, including manufacturers, importers, distributors, retailers, forest owners and managers. Read more about our work on sustainable forestry at: www.gftn.panda.org 

For further information:
Aditya Bayunanda, WWF, abayunanda@wwf.or.id, +62 21 576 1070
Suwandi Liauw, PT Indo Bagus Slat