Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1500748
58 tobaccoasia Issue 3, 2023 May / June By Thomas Schmid When push comes to shove in the current short- age, where manufacturers struggle to get their des- perately needed raw materials, it sometimes is the smaller suppliers that can provide stocks. While these independents mainly serve tobacco product manufacturers in their respective home countries, they are also eager to fulfill an international order if the opportunity arises – and inventories permit. They often also have the admirable ability to locate tobacco stocks from the most unlikely sources. One of these independent operators is Mal- buro Tobacco International. A family-owned busi- ness founded in 2017, Malburo maintains partner- ships with green leaf threshing and redrying plants both in Indonesia and Pakistan. The company also runs a representative office in Poland, which facili- tates exports from there to feed Indonesia's eter- nally tobacco-hungry cigarette industry. However, Malburo's two main operating bases are Indonesia and, interestingly, Malaysia. While the Indonesia location in East Java near Surabaya is an obvious choice, the selection of Malaysia is somewhat sur- prising. After all, Malaysia is not known as a major tobacco grower. But Malburo c.e.o. Dr. Noor Zaman Khan cited good reasons for having set up shop there. "Malaysia is an extraordinarily convenient location, providing easy air travel connections to all corners of the globe for meeting prospective clients," he told Tobacco Asia. "In addition, we also supply local factories with our Pakistani and Indonesian tobac- cos, so it just makes sense to have a local represen- tation," said Dr. Noor who claims direct descent from the royal house of the ancient Kutai kingdom once located in what is today Indonesia's East Kali- mantan province on the island of Borneo. Smaller independent suppliers can serve as welcome fallbacks for quick tobacco orders during the current global shortage. Independent Suppliers Helping Alleviate Tobacco Leaf Supply Shortage Tobacco grading. Credit: SATA Corporation Limited