Oei Wie Gwan

Chinese-Indonesian businessman

Oei Wie Gwan (simplified Chinese: 黄维源; traditional Chinese: 黃維源; pinyin: Huáng Wéiyuán; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Ûinn Ûi-guân) was a Chinese Indonesian businessman, originally from the Lasem Regency of Central Java Provincial Region of Indonesia who founded the Djarum company.²

From Wikipedia’s article on Oei Wie Gwan (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Companies

DjarumFounder⁷

Career

Occupation: businessperson.⁴

Date not recordedFounded Djarum³

First business venture

His first business venture was the establishment of a fireworks factory in the 1930s under the brand Leo, located in Rembang, Central Java. Leo became a leading fireworks brand in Indonesia.

Sometime in 1938, his factory exploded, killing and injuring some of its workers. Nonetheless, his factory was rebuilt and continued producing fireworks.

It continued producing fireworks throughout the Second World War until it shut down business after Indonesia's proclamation of Independence.

Djarum

In 1951, Oei Wie Gwan purchased a small business named Djarum Gramophon, which literally translates to "gramophone needle". The company was established on 21 April 1951 on Bitingan Kudus Street with 10 employees. The small-time venture soon took off.

Kretek became Oei Wie Gwan's business of choice following the closure of his fireworks business. Under the PT Djarum brand, tobacco and cloves were blended in cigarettes.

From Wikipedia’s article on Oei Wie Gwan (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Personal life

CitizenshipIndonesia⁵
SpouseGoei Tjoe Nio⁶

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

1
WikidataOei Wie Gwan on Wikidata
2
WikipediaOei Wie Gwan on Wikipedia
3
WikidataOei Wie Gwan: Founded Djarum, on Wikidata
4
WikidataOei Wie Gwan: occupation, on Wikidata
5
WikidataOei Wie Gwan: citizenship, on Wikidata
6
WikidataOei Wie Gwan: spouse, on Wikidata
7
WikidataDjarum, Founder