Liem Seeng Tee (Founder Sampoerna)

Indonesia Famous

Liem Seeng Tee

Liem Seeng Tee is Founder of Sampoerna Group. The success story of PT. Vinasa Sampoerna is not a blessing that just fell from the sky. But through the longer and the struggle of an NOL by Liem Seeng Tee. In the year 1898 with my father (Liem Tioe) and his sister. Seeng Tee who dikala was five years old, leaving his hometown in Fujian Province (福建), in mainland China to the southern part of Surabaya (Dutch Indies), to search for new hope. Of course in his mind he had never imagined 30 years ahead she will give birth to a world-class tobacco companies.

Not long when he got the Dutch East Indies (Surabaya), he must be separated from her sister, because it is very poor, so his father must be willing to be adopted daughter of a family in Singapore. Then six months after his arrival in Singapore, his father died of malaria. That's what makes it must be independent from the age of five years in a foreign country. Living alone Seeng small Tee eventually adopted by a family of Chinese immigrants in Bojonegoro. In the small town Liem without formal education began to learn to mix tobacco is widely grown there. Results are hawkers selling racikannya it on the train coming from Surabaya. Until the age of eleven (11) years Seeng Tee nurtured in the family. After that, she lived independently to connect their needs with the peddling snacks inside the train carriages majors Surabaya - Jakarta by jumping into the night. Persistence could be demonstrated when the young Te Seeng never sell snacks during the full 18 months without a break though.

In 1912, Liem selling charcoal with an old bicycle that had purchased from the proceeds for selling snack in the train carriages, selling charcoal, it was the one who brings himself to a girl named Siem Tjiang Hokkien Nio, later the same year became the companion of his life. Not long after getting married, got a job as Seeng Tee pelinting peracik and a cigarette in a cigarette factory in Lamongan. From there Seeng Tee showing his natural ability in preparing and rolling cigarettes. But shortly afterwards, he quit his job Seeng Tee's. Because, in fact newly married couple who are, have big dreams Manjadi with her entrepreneurial success. Dirajutnya dream with small businesses by opening the roadside stalls in the city of Surabaya. Stall at Jln. Tjantian Podjok in Surabaya Old hired by Seeng Tee saving work in tobacco factories in Lamongan, used to sell food and tobacco. Meanwhile, he opened the shop, Seeng Tee continue its expertise in the dispensing of tobacco and re-sold by pedaling a bicycle around town. It turns out tit for tat, a mixing of tobacco was so much liked by the community as well as officials at the time.


After the family's economy began to stabilize, Seeng Tee buy a house on Jl. Choosed, then made the home Surabaya to clove cigarette industry of a legal entity and was named Handel Maastchpaij (HM) Liem Seeng Tee which later changed its name to Handel Maastchpaij (HM) Sampoerna and after the independence of Indonesia the company was again changed to Vinasa (HM) Sampoerna . These small firms employ only a few employees just in the beginning. Very few and hard to find historical records of this period, but a clear attempt Seeng Tee increasingly advanced and found its market. Since the beginning Seeng Tee may have been dreaming of living in a house in the factory environment. This is so that he can carefully supervise all aspects of plant operations, and also not less important is so that children could learn the business directly. The other reason was not less terrible, Liem trying to get closer with his managers, the homes in the neighborhood of the factory, he was able to invite the managers to have lunch together, and this has become a company tradition.

Seeng Tee chance to showcase his skills as a very reliable peracik tobacco by cigarette manufactures a variety of trademarks such as Dji Sam Soe (234), 123, 720, 678, Welkomm, Summer Place, and Do not Fight Dapoean intended for various market segments. Superior products and blends are Dji Sam Soe (234) that target the premium market segment where the taste, packaging, logos and maintained until now.

A great opportunity that would later change the fate of families and businesses kreteknya cigarettes came over her in early 1916, Liem Seeng Tee when offered a buy various types of tobacco from cigarette companies that go out with a cheap price, provided such purchases must be paid less than 24 hours. He was very lucky, chance can not be separated from his grasp because his wife had been secretly saving money on one of the bamboo pole in his stall and it was more than enough savings to pay off those purchases. Since then Seeng Tee and Tjiang Nio, his wife, put all her energies to develop the tobacco business. Her efforts have progressed quite rapidly when the highway in front of her house be a place of business widened. The streets became crowded and customers are also increasing. Unfortunately, the hut burnt homes. The pair went back down-up work hard to build his business. Here, husband and wife are blessed with two sons and three daughters are still serving the order cigarettes with cuisine that uses simple linting tool.


In raising her effort, Seeng Tee although not taste good formal education he holds fast to "Philosophy of the Three Hands". For him this is a basic philosophy to success between the three parties - which are companies, traders and consumers. By working together in a win-win-win, is confident he will achieve satisfaction and luck together.

HM. Liem Seeng Tee then once again achieved great success in 1932, Seeng Tee able to purchase a complex of building an orphanage and a movie theater owned by the Dutch colonial government. Places are then converted into a special factory making clove cigarette brands Dji Sam Soe (HM. Sampoerna), and until now the place is still standing and used as a museum to commemorate Liem Seeng Tee by PT. HM Sampoerna, who is known by the name of the House of Sampoerna.

In 1942 more than 1,300 employees working in two shifts to produce cigarettes for more than three million cigarettes a week of it. His industry bigger and Dji Sam Soe market getting stronger, especially in the area of East Java and Central Java. However, in the same year World War II was raging in Asia-Pacific region, the history recorded in mid-1942, Japan landed in Surabaya. According to various sources, less than six hours after the arrival of Japan, Seeng Tee arrested and taken to West Java to undergo forced labor, while his family survived in hiding. It is unknown where the family's property and running the company. HM tobacco companies. Sampoerna was taken over by the Japanese imperialists and Japanese cigarettes be a place of production, FUJI brand. After Indonesian independence, the remaining property was nothing more than his own family and trademarks Dji Sam Soe. Once again, Seeng Tee reorganize its business by establishing Vinasa Sampoerna and back off his masterpiece blends, Dji Sam Soe to the market.

After the death of Seeng Tee at age 63 in 1956, the reins of leadership of HM. Sampoerna is transferred to two daughters, and Hwee Sien, and the law. Great difficulties and even overwrite any acaman bankrupt before our eyes, because at the end of 1950 many foreign investors come and build tech-rolled white cigarette industry machinery. Obviously this is a severe blow to the traditional cigarette industry, is no exception for the HM. Sampoerna is still using the tool to produce simple-rolled cigarettes. Meanwhile, two sons Seeng Tee, Liem and Liem Swie Swie Hwa Ling, who was originally expected as a successor was not interested in continuing HM. Sampoerna. The eldest, Swie Hwa opened tobacco plantation, while his younger brother, Swie Ling opened a factory in Denpasar Panamas branded cigarettes, which the company quietly began to threaten the market for the Dji Sam Soe.

In mid 1960, Liem Swie Hwa finally asks his brother to take over the HM Sampoerna. Tit for tat, Swie Ling undertakes, even a move to Malang Panamas factory, not far from HM Sampoerna is located. Swie Ling, known as the Aga Sampoerna is a second generation of leaders HM. Sampoerna is a full-strength reviving HM Sampoerna in accordance with the spirit of his father to make perusahaanya "Tobacco King".

That was the beginning of a new revival of HM Sampoerna. In the hands of the Aga Sampoerna flying company. The second son of Aga, namely Liem Tien Pao or known by Putera Sampoerna, took over the helm of HM Sampoerna in 1978. Under his control, HM Sampoerna developed into a public company with a modern corporate structure and commence their investment and expansion. In the process, PT HM Sampoerna strengthen its position as one of the leading manufacturers of clove cigarettes in Indonesia and his record company in history as the largest cigarette factory 3rd and 4th world's oldest, of course, bring PT Putera. HM. Sampoerna step further by doing breakthroughs, such as the introduction of low bernikotin filter cigarettes, Sampoerna A Mild in late 1980 and is known by the ads that are unique and expressive as well as expansion of business by the son after his father, Aga Sampoerna died in 1994, through ownership in the company's franchise Alfamart in mid-1990 to support retail sales, and certainly for a while, in the areas of banking and automotive industries with growing shares in PT Astra International Tbk, the period from 1995 to 1997, although the move did not work.

With the inclusion of Michael Joseph Sampoerna, the youngest son, the crown prince who has a hobby of playing poker, 4th generation family of Liem Seeng Tee to the board of directors PT.HM Sampoerna, Tbk in 2000. Business expansion does not just stop, then continue encouraged and tobacco dynasty, 90-year-old start reaching agribusiness lands (known as PT Sampoerna Agro), telecommunications (PT. Sampoerna Telekom) and Transmarco, Ltd.. Headquartered in Singapore and PT Printpack printing business, and to complete all that there is also a lifestyle business such as cafes & restaurants at the House of Sampoerna and ownership of the famous gambling house in London, Les Ambassadeur or Les A and Mansion, an online gambling company's international initiated since its acquisition of PT. HM Sampoerna, Tbk. into the lap of the world's largest tobacco company Philip Morris in March 2005.

Family business that has been dilakoni by four generations under one dynasty, "the kingdom of tobacco" for more than 90 years has resulted USD. 6.18 trillion at the time of Putera Sampoerna tobacco company decided to release that has been pioneered by his grandfather, Liem Seeng Tee, the world's largest tobacco companies from USA, Phillip Morris in the month of March 2005. It is quite appalling decision of Indonesian business world, and the like do not like all eyes were exposed to one family, the Sampoerna family. With money USD. 18.6 trillion? Cash! Course can be counted with the fingers, a family anywhere that is able to pocket the money is so huge amount of it.

Without having to work too, the Son and his family more than capable and able to make a living with a very luxurious. Say, with its assumption of all money deposited with 5% interest per annum, they are still pocketing USD. Its 77 billion per month. I think with this amount of money is more than enough to taste the luxury of living a la king. But certainly not the kind of lifestyle that is envisioned by Liem Seeng Tee and his descendants, with the blood of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial spirit is strong, they'll want to create additional value from the money.

In my eyes, PT. HM Sampoerna and the Sampoerna family is an example, where home-based business that falls up and capitalize on the initial determination and savings from parts of bamboo poles can house up to meraksasa national and even international level. From the business side of the road, Liem Seeng Tee committed the perfect product mix and make it as "king of clove", had finally proved if the struggle PT. HM Sampoerna who became a public company with net profits reaching trillions of rupiah per year of his.

Liem Seeng Tee, indonesian famous people, founder