Djarum

PT Djarum is an Indonesian kretek (clove cigarette) brand/manufacturer founded on 21 April, 1951, by Oei Wie Gwan in Kudus, Central Java. It produces dozens of domestic and international brands. Djarum Black, Super, and L.A. Lights are among the most popular products of Djarum. The company owns the PB Djarum, a professional badminton club, the Italian football club Como, and was the main sponsor of Liga 1, Indonesia's top football league from 2005 to 2011. Under its direct parent, PT Dwimuria Investama Andalan (also known as Djarum Group), it has non-cigarette business lines in technology, banking, and beverages.

History
In 1951, Oei Wie Gwan, an Indonesian businessman, bought a nearly defunct cigarette company in Kudus, Central Java, known as NV Murup. The brand was called Djarum Gramofon which means 'gramophone needle'; he shortened it to Djarum (current spelling: jarum) which means needle. The company's first brand was 'Djarum'. The company nearly collapsed in 1963 when its factory was destroyed in a fire, followed by the death of Oei Wie Gwan. The new owners, Oei Wie Gwan's children, Budi and Bambang Hartono, took the opportunity to rebuild the company.

The company began producing machine-rolled kretek in the early 1970s but also continues to produce hand-rolled kretek made by manual labourers.

Djarum Super was launched in 1981, followed by the introduction of Djarum Special in 1983.

While the domestic market for kretek was large, in 1972, the company began exporting hand-rolled kretek to tobacco retailers around the world. Budi and Bambang Hartono diversified the company's activities outside of cigarette manufacturing.

After the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the company became a part of a consortium that bought Bank Central Asia (BCA) from BPPN. BCA is the largest private bank in Indonesia and was formerly a part of the Salim Group. Presently, the majority stake of the bank (51%) is controlled by Djarum. In 2004, the Djarum Group acquired a 30-year BOT contract from the government to develop and renovate Hotel Indonesia in Jakarta under the Grand Indonesia superblock project.

The Djarum badminton club (PB Djarum) was founded in 1974 by Budi Hartono. Its players, such as Liem Swie King and Alan Budikusuma, have won numerous championships for Indonesia.

Since the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009 banned most flavoured cigarettes in the United States, Djarum's clove products are now marketed as "filtered cigars" and are wrapped in tobacco leaf instead of black paper. The tobacco is air-cured, and they are packaged in boxes of 12 instead of 20.

Non-cigarette business lines
• ALTO (interbank network)

• Bank Central Asia (banking company)

• Blibli (e-commerce)

• GDP Venture (venture capital)

• Global Dairi Alami (dairy manufacturer, branded as MilkLife)

• Grand Indonesia (multipurpose complex)

• HPI AGRO (palm oil plantations company)

• Margo City (mall)

• Mola (over-the-top streaming service)

• Padma Hotels and Resorts (accommodations)

• Polytron (electronics company)

• Sarana Menara Nusantara (telecommunications infrastructure company)

• Savoria (food and beverage manufacturer, branded as Yuzu, Fox's, 5 Days and Krizzi)

• SENT Entertainment (media company based in UK)

• Sumber Kopi Prima (instant coffee manufacturer, branded as Delizio Caffino and Kopi Tubruk Gadjah)

• Superlive.id (news platforms)

• Supra Boga Lestari (retail supermarkets)

• Tiket.com (travel booking platform)

Involvement in sports

 * PB Djarum (badminton club funded by Djarum Foundation)
 * Sponsorship of Indonesian top league:
 * 2005–2007 as Liga Djarum Indonesia
 * 2008–2011 as Djarum Indonesia Super League
 * Como (football club) via SENT Entertainment
 * Garuda Select (football talent development acceleration program)