Machine Tools Industry Development Centre (MTIDC) is the result of a successful collaboration between Indonesia and South Korea to develop the growth of the machine tool industry in Indonesia. As part of this collaboration, the South Korean government granted a 70 billion rupiah grant in the form of machines related to machine tool development. This collaboration  has been ongoing since 2019, and the Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (FTMD)  ITB is entrusted with storing and utilizing the machine tools provided by the South Korean government through MTIDC.

One crucial aspect of MTIDC is knowledge transfer, which involves sharing information and duplicating knowledge acquired by FTMD to spread it throughout institutions and vocational schools in Indonesia.

In the implementation of this knowledge transfer, the Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at ITB collaborated with the Ministry of Industry to organize a Technical Training  Program for the Supply of Machine Tool Industry Components from May 22 to 26, 2023. The training event was opened on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, and attended by important figures such as Eko Agus Nugroho, Director of Machinery and Agricultural Machinery Industry; Mangasi P. Siahaan, Coordinator of Program Functions, Evaluation, and Reporting; and Ginanjar Mardhikatama, Program Function Subcoordinator.

In his address, Eko Agus Nugroho, Director of Machinery and Agricultural Machinery Industry, revealed that the long-term goal of this knowledge transfer program is to achieve the localization of machine components, especially lathe machines. Consequently, it is hoped that domestically produced machine tools will be able to develop over time.

MTIDC is a highly positive step in developing the machine tool industry in Indonesia. With the grant of machines from South Korea and knowledge transfer to institutions and academics in Indonesia, it is expected to enhance the capacity and capabilities in this industry. Moreover, localizing the production of machine components will also drive the growth of the domestic machine tool industry.

The government and all relevant parties are expected to continue supporting and actively participating in the development of the machine tool industry. Through collaborations like MTIDC, Indonesia can improve the overall quality and competitiveness of the machine tool industry while reducing dependence on imported machine tools.