[DIREKTORI] Entrepreneur Of The Year (EoY) 2004 Finalists: Coming from a small family, Saripin Taidy began developing his entrepreneurial skills at a young age. By 14, he worked part-time at a nail factory in Medan, North Sumatra to pay for his school fees and earn some pocket money.
After graduating from high school, Saripin worked at a heavy equipment company in Jakarta. A few years later, in 1980, he returned to Medan and started his own business. Realizing the need to improve his skills and knowledge, he continued his studies and obtained a bachelor’s degree.
Saripin founded PT Probesco Disatama in 1980 to sell spare parts for heavy equipment. PT Probesco survived during the economic crisis in 1998 because of carefully integrated financial planning and switching marketing strategy by focusing on export-based customers.
Saripin believes in the importance of having a close relationship with customers. He has developed a unique tri-level organizational structure, comprised of the Management Group, the Support Group, and the Front-line Group. At present, the company has 400 employees and runs more than 20 businesses, a network that spans all the major islands of Indonesia. e-ti/ey.com
