Blueprint for Trade and Investment with Indonesia

Blueprint for Trade and Investment with Indonesia

Australian business should take a fresh look at Indonesia, the powerhouse nation on our doorstep and soon to be among the largest economies in the world. With a strong middle class – 52 million and growing – forecasters predict Indonesia’s swift post-COVID recovery, a testament to Indonesia’s resilient growth and commitment to reform.

In 2020, the “Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA)” entered into force which gives Australian businesses major advantages in the Indonesian market. For example:

  • more than 99 per cent of Australian goods exports by value will enter duty free or under liberalised rules
  • Australian investors will benefit from greater certainty and protection for their investments in Indonesia
  • the agreement removes barriers to two-way trade, increases bilateral movement of workers and facilitates joint ventures in third countries.

To assist Australian companies take advantage of the Agreement and deepen their engagement with Indonesia, the Australian government has produced a “Blueprint for Trade and Investment with Indonesia”.

The Blueprint provides practical and strategic guidance for Australian businesses considering market opportunities in the Indonesian economy for the first time. It also helps Australian business take advantage of complementarities between the two economies – Australia has the goods, expertise and know-how which align with Indonesia’s major economic priorities.

Sectors highlighted in the Blueprint include health and aged care, agriculture and food, education and training and resources and energy services. The Blueprint also highlights opportunities for Australian companies to establish partnerships in Indonesia, including in Indonesia’s dynamic services sector, and to diversify their markets and supply chains.

The Blueprint will assist both Australia and Indonesia to get the maximum benefit out of IA-ECPA as we look towards economic recovery following the pandemic.

This story is an original publication of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Featured member: C.T. Freight

Featured member: C.T. Freight

C.T. Freight Pty Ltd is 100% Australian owned company offering comprehensive freight forwarding and logistics solutions worldwide. With dedicated offices throughout Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Singapore and the USA, along with an extensive network of partners worldwide, their services comprise of transport and distribution globally, no matter the size, weight, origin or destination.

Founded in 1981 by Clive Thomas (owner and CEO of the company), celebrating their 40th year in freight forwarding C.T. Freight has obtained accolades both internationally and domestically. They are the largest independent freight forwarder in Australia, and hold the number 1 IATA ranking for airfreight export from Australia.

C.T. Freight is known for the highest level of reliability, exceptional quality of service and superiority in expertise, through understanding of the requirements for each of our Australian and international customers. Being well established in the local market provides us with a major advantage. With substantial market position and direct, long-lasting contracts with airlines and shipping lines, this unique position has provided them with the ability to respond to specific market requirements and deliver tailored solutions, no matter the size of the customer.

Their range of services include:

  • General Goods Transport by Air/Sea/Truck/Rail
  • Perishable (cool room and freezer facilities)
  • Aviation/Pharmaceutical/Time Critical (24/7 coverage)
  • E-commerce/FBA/Express/Courier
  • Supply Chain Management/Warehousing/Distribution
  • Project Management/Aircraft or Vessel Charter
  • Customs Brokerage

All their Australian warehouses have state of the art cool room and freezer facilities and are bonded for both customs and quarantine. Their in-house brokerage team has extensive knowledge in all customs and bio-security regulations. With 24/7 availability and support, they can handle all customs clearances including perishable, pharmaceutical, AOG and special projects.

Working with government and regulatory bodies, C.T. Freight has been on the forefront of developments in the international freight forwarding industry. Collaborating with the paramount international IT solution provider and through development in digital integration, they strive to be an industry leader, actively working on new ways to improve our services.

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought with it a new set of challenges for international supply chains. During this time, C.T Freight have had to be agile and adjust in order to deal with the ever changing landscape of international transport. The Australian Government announced a support package for Australian exporters of perishable goods (International Freight Assistance Mechanism – IFAM) and they were selected as one of six freight forwarders to assist in the delivery of the package to exporters. They can assist with any complicated transportation solutions that have been hampered by the pandemic.

C.T. Freight is a reliable worldwide partner, offering a comprehensive range of freight forwarding solutions, and specialises in customising services to suit individual customer requirements.

Sydney Port Congestion Surcharge/Disruptions

Sydney Port Congestion Surcharge/Disruptions

For Brisbane Importers who require a day-definite or consistent transit time we suggest using the fast direct loops from Shanghai / Xiamen / Ningbo / Shenzhen / Guangzhou ( JKN/CNJ ) Avoid using vessels via Sydney and Melbourne in the short term, announced One Global Logistics.

There is currently a serious situation in relation to the Port Congestion in Sydney due to :

  • Ongoing Container terminal congestion
  • Escalation in action from 18/9/20, likely delays up to 14days
  • Already two shipping lines have announced commissions of 5 vessels in the coming weeks
  • Delays in Vessels en route into the Berth ( up to 6 days currently )
  • Recent Stevedore industrial action
  • Major congestion at Sydney empty container parks. Click here for further detail
  • See the Government Media Release here

As a result, two major shipping lines (MSC and CMA – CGM/ANL) have announced in the past 24 hours a Congestion Surcharge (CGS) which will apply to all containers coming into the Port of Sydney or being shipped out of the Port of Sydney.

It is expected other major shipping lines will announce a similar CGS in relation to the Port of Sydney in the coming days.

The surcharge announced by MSC is USD300 per 20-foot container and USD600 per 40-foot container (CMA – CGM/ANL USD285/USD570).

Various industry bodies, in conjunction with the APSA (Australian Peak Shippers Association), have lodged objections to this surcharge and lobbied Government, thus far these objections have fallen on deaf ears and we are not confident of any quick resolution that will result in the reversal of the surcharge. That said, these bodies will continue to pursue resolution through Government.

AIMA members in Australia will not have made any allowance for this unprecedented surcharge and will need to pass on these costs.

We would point out that the surcharge will be introduced with the following validity:

  • Import cargo: for vessel arrival on the 14 September and onward (CMA-CGM/ANL from 17th September 2020)
  • Export cargo: from commercial date 14 September and onward (CMA-CGM/ANL from 17th September 2020)
  • For import cargo from US: from cargo possession on 8 October ((CMA-CGM/ANL from 10th October 2020)
  • ONE – OCEAN NETWORK has increased all rates for cargos into Sydney from ASIA / CHINA to incorporate a “congestion surcharge” USD 300/600
  • For export cargo to the US: from cargo possession on 8 October (CMA-CGM/ANL from 10th October 2020)

Please note the CGS applies to both import container and export containers and we envisage the charge will be passed on together with freight invoices for exports and port terminal handling charge invoice for imports.

At this stage, there is no indication of how long the surcharge will be in place for although it is expected there will be much media and Government scrutiny of the actions by the shipping lines.

For further information or advice, please contact our customer service teams on 1300 401 617
Or EMAIL: service@onegloballogistics.com

Featured member: Murray Cod

Featured member: Murray Cod

Murray Cod Australia (MCA) was listed on the ASX in January 2017 after a group of like minded aquaculture pioneers and business innovators recognized the potential to establish a large aquaculture business in inland NSW more than 500km from the nearest ocean.

They established their Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod branding to differentiate their product from others in the marketplace.
They grow high quality Aquna Murray Cod in open ponds on the Murray Darling Basin river system – the fish’s native environment.
With full traceability, our business has a vertically-integrated approach for breeding, growing and supplying what is Australias best tasting freshwater fish. The Murray cod is an iconic Australian species with a history dating back 20 million years to the Miocene age. Murray cod was an important and nutritious food source for indigenous Australians as far back as 40,000 years ago and the fish remains culturally important to them to this day.
The superb eating qualities, uniqueness and the iconic story of the Murray cod makes it a fantastic fish for export markets.
They have built an export accredited processing facility within 30 km of their growout farms in Griffith, NSW and it is from there that they are able to export product all over the world.
Exports of their products were underway to Japan and the US prior to Covid 19 and samples had been well received in Europe and the UK. Unfortunately the pandemic has forced them to retract from these export markets temporarily, though they have been able to increase domestic sales to account for all production to date.
Murray Cod Australia is in a phase of extraordinary growth that will take their production to 10,000 tonnes per annum by 2030. This extra production will facilitate their re-entry into export markets in early 2022 as the world re-opens post pandemic.
They look forward to taking this exciting product to the worlds premium food markets.

Featured member: Flavourtech

Featured member: Flavourtech

Flavourtech is a privately owned company, established in 1985 and based in the town of Griffith NSW. They design, manufacture, service and support specialised processing equipment for the food, beverage (coffee, tea, wine & beer), dairy, flavour and pharmaceutical industries worldwide. Over 90% of their products are exported and they have installed equipment in over 60 countries.

The unique technology and innovative applications that Flavourtech has developed allows it to process these products in a very gentle manner through the use of steam alone, and without the use of any chemicals or solvents. Their core technology, Spinning Cone Column (SCC) is considered best in class for flavour capture in the tea, coffee and flavour industry and is used by market leading companies in these industries world wide.

Flavourtech has grown by customising solutions to fit the specific requirements of customers in different regions across the world which allows them to differentiate their products against their competitors. Flavourtech has implemented global best practices in its design and manufacturing processes, as well as adapt its sales & marketing strategies to each of the regions it competes in. As a consequence, Flavourtech has become a more creative, flexible and culturally-aware company as it competes across many different industries in various regions.
Flavourtech were pioneers in the zero alcohol trend having installed their first SCC in the wine industry in the late 1980’s. Many more followed with installations in the USA, Spain, Portugal, South Africa over the late 1990’s. Installations for zero alcohol beer were also achieved in the early 2000’s. The development of the Resin Adsorption Column in 2018 is to meet the requirement of achieving <0.05% alcoholic products. Zero alcohol products processed through the Spinning Cone Column can be found around the world.

In the mid 90’s Flavourtech combined their SCC and Centritherm technologies into a ‘total solution’ creating the Integrated Extraction System (IES) tailored to meet the individual needs of beverage customers. It also developed revolutionary new technologies such as the Rotating Disc Column (RDC)in 2015 that extracts coffee in a fraction of the time of conventional techniques while improving quality.

A major milestone was achieved in 2018 with the sale and subsequent installation of a full IES process line, including the RDC, into the soluble coffee industry in Colombia and India. This multi-million dollar process line allows Flavourtech to not just be a small part in someone else’s process line but to supply the entire process line itself. This achieves a “Customer for Life” with service and support supplied by Flavourtech for many years into the future securing ongoing export business and further building the relationship with customers.

Much of the canned coffee in Japan, iced tea in the USA and instant coffee just about anywhere in the world has likely passed through a Flavourtech technology. The majority of Flavour houses around the world also use the Spinning Cone Column to capture natural aromas from fruit, vegetables, tea and coffee.

Flavourtech were National Manufacturing category winners of the 2018 Export Council Awards. They were also NSW winner of the 2020 Premier’s Export Council’s Resilience Awards.
Flavourtech joined the ECA to ensure it stayed up to date with all news regarding export, export markets, FTA’s, Incoterms and freight. The ECA has experts in all areas that assist Flavourtech in their decision making when questions arise.
The Pandemic has changed the way Flavourtech conducts their business. Pre pandemic half the Flavourtech team travelled for sales and technical meetings, installations, commissioning and maintenance of equipment. The way of the future has been accepted by Flavourtech staff and now all meetings are conducted virtually. This has been extended by the maintenance, installation and commissioning teams that now through the use of technology such as Augmented Reality glasses can see and hear as if they were standing in front of the equipment on the other side of the world.
The early adoption of using technology to conduct their business and clear and open communication with their customers sees 2021 being a stellar year for Flavourtech with sales from a variety of countries that include India, Scotland, USA, Spain, China, Japan, Brazil and Vietnam. Like all companies Flavourtech hopes to be able to once again travel for face to face meetings and installations but for the time being Flavourtech is staying on top of their game with their multi talented, expert team.

ECA launch the inaugural African Women Trading Globally initiative

ECA launch the inaugural African Women Trading Globally initiative

The Export Council of Australia is delighted to welcome 26 women entrepreneurs participating in the inaugural African Women Trading Globally initiative. We were pleased to have Australian Ambassador in Harare, Ms Bronte Moules, join us to officially open the event.

List of 2021 African Women Trading Globally Participants

In alphabetical order
Participant Name
Company  Industry  Country  
Abena Amponsaa Asante Asare The Prim-Shop Food & beverage/ agriculture Ghana
Blanche Djetouan Kmarles Food & beverage/ agriculture Cote d’Ivoire
Brenda Brewer Brewer & Moore Produce Inc Food & beverage/ agriculture Liberia
Effie Kamwendo Ndamo enterprise Food & beverage/ agriculture Malawi
Evelyn Chima Chaje Investments Limited Food & beverage/ agriculture Malawi
Jane-Frances Ekeng Freshscents Food & beverage/ agriculture Nigeria
Joana Aba Kutubebi Dreamworld Studio (SkyDroners Digital) Commercial drone services Ghana
Karen Nyenga Industry Girls Network Entrepreneurship/ artisanal business Zimbabwe
Lydia Achel Buraan Prime Ventures Food & beverage/ agriculture Ghana
Mabel Seglah Zion farms and Groceries Food & beverage/ agriculture Ghana
Mabel Suglo Dignified Wear Company Ltd Fashion, accessories and homewares Ghana
Margret Kawalewale Agro-Input Suppliers Ltd Agriculture inputs Malawi
Mary Barton Odikwa Investments CC Geoscience consultancy and advisory Namibia
Mpontšeng Lydia Pama Letsoela VEL AgriHub Limited REG. Food & beverage/ agriculture Lesotho
Muchineripi Sisonke Harry Polka Dot Closet Fashion, accessories, and homewares Botswana
Naa Oyoe Sackey Alyfam Foods Food & beverage/ agriculture Ghana
Nardeen Mounir Arzaq Fashion, accessories, and homewares Egypt
Oluwaseun Sangoleye Baby Grubz Nigeria Food & beverage/ agriculture Nigeria
Preeah Ramkissoon Imiloa Fashion, accessories, and homewares Mauritius
Samrawit Tarekegn Shiferawu Mogzit In-home Care Technology services Ethiopia
Sanelisiswe Dube Lec Biotec Medical equipment Zimbabwe
Sara Aziz Hakim Morgan Safe Kids Egypt Psychosocial services in the field of child protection Egypt
Shalonee Gunness Shaco Consulting Marketing and Psychosocial services in the field of child protection design services Mauritius
Uma Vyapuri Techfindr Filiasan Company Limited Mauritius
Yvonne Marfoa Anokwa Filiasan Company Limited Food & beverage/ agriculture Ghana

The women represent a range of industries that span food and beverage, agriculture and inputs, fashion accessories and homewares, psychosocial services in the field of child protection, medical equipment and commercial business services and consultancy.

From June to September, the initiative will bring participants together for various training sessions focussed on trade topics, peer discussions and one-on-one coaching.
The sessions will facilitate a combination of peer-to-peer and theoretical learning, bringing in expert speakers from the Export Council of Australia, Facebook, UPS and Spruson & Ferguson.
The topics cover the fundamentals of export including market opportunity analysis, branding and e-commerce, intellectual property protection, border processes and logistics, and trade finance.
After these sessions, the initiative will culminate in a virtual trade mission which will bring together participants and key Australian business and industry stakeholders. The virtual trade mission will be an opportunity for all participants to develop their pitch, business storytelling, and Australian network.
If you would like to be involved in this initiative, including as a potential mentor, buyer, investor, or business partner, or to be connected with the entrepreneurs through the virtual trade mission, please contact Angela Wright.

Featured member: Plus Hemp

Featured member: Plus Hemp

Created by Natalie Moubarak, who is a mother of two and full time self employed. Natalie was lacking in vitamins and hydration. With such a busy lifestyle she was neglecting to take all of her vitamin tablets so she wanted an all in one beverage to not only have all the nutrients she needed but boost her hydration levels at the same time.

Natalie discovered the idea of using hemp as an ingredient as she has been a psoriasis suffer for over 20 years, there was no cure and only a few steroid creams on the market that only soothe the pain for a short while. She came up with a concoction mixing hemp and moisturising cream which relived her more than any other prescribed creams she was taking. From there she experimented putting hemp in her foods and protein shakes. She then teamed up with a pharmaceutical lab and scientifically formulated a life changing water known as +hemp.

Using hemp as a food ingredient has been only recently legalised in Australia as of November 2017, which makes our product one of Australia first hemp water on the market.

Plus Hemp Pty Ltd has been trying to export for the last 3 years, but as soon as they signed contracts with a South Korean distributor in January 2020, covid-19 hit and they had to change distributors. The first large shipment was in March 2021 which was a great achievement. There are many other overseas distributors that are interested in distributing the products, but logistics are proved to be challenging and very expensive.

Join the ECA team! New position available

Join the ECA team! New position available

Here is an exciting opportunity to join the Export Council of Australia (ECA) as a full-time Membership Development and Events Manager (for an initial contract of 12-months).

We are looking for an all-rounder and self-starter, someone who has the right attitude, quick to learn, and relevant experience to become ECA’s Membership Development and Events Manager.

The successful candidate will use their membership development skills to identify and engage new members and sponsors, as well as enhance relationships with existing members and sponsors.
Another key aspect of this role is to plan, implement and manage State Export Awards programmes and ceremonies (in person or digital) to ensure they are delivered professionally, on time and in budget.
A strong alignment to ECA values combined with a passion for ECA’s vision and mission is critical.
The ECA supports a blended workplace policy. Hours of work are negotiable for the right candidate.
A day in the life of a Membership Development and Events Manager includes:
  • Identifying and establishing new business membership and corporate partnerships.
  • Effectively communicating ECA offerings and maintaining a consistent level of partner engagement and communication.
  • Actively monitoring and understanding individual business needs and responding effectively to their requirements.
  • Building and maintaining strong relationships with new and existing channel partners.
  • Organising events, such as the Export Awards. This includes orchestration of events, identifying and securing nominations and sponsorships, managing judging of the winners, preparing documentation and written material (such as case stories, media releases and correspondence). Working with the ECA Chair, CEO and ECA team to deliver the Awards ceremonies (in person or digital).
  • Determining and managing the Export Awards budget to maximise profit return for the programmes in consultation with the Chair/CEO, as advised.
  • Managing ongoing relationships with the ECA’s Export Awards partners. Effectively communicate with them and ensure the contractually agreed marketing/event activities are met.
  • Increasing Export Awards partnership revenue and ticket sales.
  • Collaborating with the graphic designer to deliver all creative material for the Export Awards.
  • Promoting events, based on a clear marketing plan.
  • Developing and executing other ECA events in collaboration with the ECA Divisions involved.
  • Monitoring industry best practices.

This position offers an excellent opportunity to gain invaluable experience. We are committed to ensuring working conditions are excellent with a positive team environment.

Required qualifications, skills & experience:

We allow work from home and the office. You will be working with and reporting directly to the CEO/Chair.
To be a successful in this role you will have the requisite background and abilities:
  • At least 5 years’ experience in a similar role (business development, membership, corporate events, communications or similar) with experience in the international trade & investment industry (essential).
  • Relevant Tertiary qualifications, i.e. Bachelor of Commerce, International Business, Marketing, Communications or similar (desirable).
  • Proven success in establishing relationships with senior executives and stakeholders, and work collaboratively with all sectors including government, business, academia and not-for-profit.
  • Demonstrate sound knowledge of partnership attraction and retention strategies and ability to convert prospects to partnership revenue.
  • Have strong computer skills (MS Office, Xero) and preferably have CRM management experience.
  • Strong written and oral communication skills, including confident presentation abilities.
  • Ability to communicate complex ideas and influence decision makers.
  • Keen interest and understanding of current and emerging trade issues would be an advantage.
  • Demonstrated innovative thinking and openness to change.
Personal attributes
Ability to achieve results within time constraints and conflicting priorities.
Ability to work methodically and with attention to detail.
Ability to work autonomously as well as in a team environment.
Strong communication skills and ability to liaise with all levels of management.
Ability to work remotely with little supervision working both autonomously and collaboratively.
Active listening skills, being adept at influencing, and motivated by achieving results.
Self-motivated, organised, and thrive on providing service and assistance to ensure optimum membership services.
Work well in a fast-paced environment and enjoy the challenges it brings.
How to apply:
Does this sound like you? Please email your CV and cover letter to info@export.org.au
Letter must be addressed to Ms. Dianne Tipping, Chair, Export Council of Australia and detail how your skills and experience align with this position. Closing date for all applications is 14th June, 2021.
Please note all personal information collected during the selection process will only be used for recruitment and employment purposes.

Featured Member: Avanta Premium

Featured Member: Avanta Premium

Established in 2019, Avanta Premium is a NSW based, Australian owned and Australian made brand manufacturer of milk based products namely baby formula, proteins, supplements and more.

Their factory is based in Western region of NSW and all their ingredients are sourced from local farmers, making their products the only 100% Australian-made powdered formulas available to date with science and research also playing a fundamental role.

Their main export markets, are Asian and Middle Eastern countries, although they are open to explore new markets and any potential opportunties that may come up.
Like for many other exporters, Covid-19 has imposed them a major hurdle as the shipping costs have skyrocketed and despite all the challenges they’re still facing in 2021 they are well focused for the long run and they are confident there will be an increase in the demand of 100% Australian-made products.
With passion for improving quality nutrition during both early stages of life, as well as adulthood, Avanta’s main focus is to provide a series of premium products based on science and 100% Australian made.

Care Essentials: From warming blankets to face masks and respirators

Care Essentials: From warming blankets to face masks and respirators

As Covid-19 wreaked havoc nationally and demand for safety equipment grew, Victoria’s regional medical device manufacturer Care Essentials pivoted its focus to produce a range of PPE products, surgical face masks and N95 respirators.

“Our decision to explore making PPE masks came because we kept receiving calls from hospitals, federal and state departments asking if we had capability to make masks,” said Abhay Sinha, Care Essentials Managing Director.

“Being the recipient of the Export Award from the Governor of Victoria and the Australian Export Award for Regional Exporter in 2019, gave us a lot of credibility as a reliable supplier of critical medical devices.
“We quickly realised it would be possible to produce the PPE masks because we already used non-woven fabric in manufacturing our medical products.”
The Geelong-based company was primarily known for its manufacture of patient warming blankets, specifically its Cocoon blankets, and warming machines used by hospitals globally for more than 20 years. The products help protect patients from hypothermia, infection and speed up recovery from surgical procedures. They are used by 60 per cent of Australian hospitals and exported to more than 50 countries, including the US, the UK, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand and Canada.
Mr Sinha said the development of the Micro Pore system, used in their warm blankets to give a uniformly-distributed air flow, helped form the basis of their initial mask designs.
“With the help of our R&D team and consultation from various subject matter experts, we were able to achieve a design which provided a high level of fit test result. This is especially crucial for N95 masks, to provide a secure seal and protection to the wearer.”
While Victorian businesses were shutting down, the company remained open and functional because it was an essential service.
Two specialized machines were initially ordered in April to start perfecting designs and enable the manufacturing of surgical masks and N95 respirator masks.
“By June, we had several designs which were sent to different laboratories in Australia, the US and Spain for testing, quality assurance and to obtain all the required certifications,” said Mr Sinha.
With the products TGA registered and ISO 13485 certified, Care Essentials relocated to larger premises and production commenced.
Within a couple of months, a further six machines were purchased to increase production and 50 additional staff were hired from local auto businesses to operate the eight machines running continuously 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“These additional machines allowed us to increase production of surgical grade masks, N95 respirators and add new products like bouffant caps, and non-slip shoe covers for healthcare workers. “This expansion also allowed us to use more local businesses for packaging and printing and engineers to help with maintaining the equipment.
“We even started to make ear savers which previously would have been only bought from China,” said Mr Sinha.
Care Essentials then secured a Victorian Government contract to high quality single-use face masks and N95 respirators for the community and healthcare workers across the state.
“Our staff were critical to our expansion, they helped keep us going. Without their determination and willingness to follow the strict COVID-19 measures we put in place, none of this would have been possible.
“Maintaining the safety and wellbeing of our staff was our priority. We sent non-essential staff to work from home, while factory staff were monitored with thermal scanners and wore face shields and masks despite being uncomfortable.”
Mr Sinha said key learnings working under COVID-19 restrictions was the importance of maintaining regular communication with clients and suppliers and how important video conferencing had become.
“Also, as a country, we need to be self-reliant and develop sovereign capability for critical products such as medical supplies and PPE.
“You have to stay positive, be bold, trust your instincts and have a go. Don’t rely on hearsay that it can’t be done, manufacturing in Australia is still possible,” said Mr Sinha.