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or most people, death means an immense loss. But, for some, death equals a business opportunity.

The recent use of caskets as a marketing gimmick has highlighted the business of death in the city.

Although coffin makers say that the business is sometimes slow, especially because not all Indonesians use coffins for burial, they believe the business is profitable.

“I think there are only a few coffin manufacturers in Indonesia, especially in Jakarta.

“So, I think it is profitable to run a coffin-making business,” said Bui Cia, who has been in business since 2003.

Bui Cia said he sells 10 to 15 coffins a day, and he supplies some of his coffins to funeral homes in Jakarta and as far as eastern Indonesia’s cities of Manado, Makassar and Jayapura.

The price of coffins that sell locally are Rp 5 million (US$585) to Rp 15 million depending on the material and the ornaments.

According to Bui Cia, people in Jakarta mostly request coffins made of mahogany, adding that his coffins are manufactured at factories he owns in Cirebon, West Java, and Tegal, Central Java.

He said people from different cultural and religious backgrounds had different tastes in coffins.

“Buddhists usually order carved coffins while Christians order coffins that are painted with images of Jesus or [Leonardo da Vinci’s] Last Supper,” he said.

Besides sending coffins to several cities throughout the country, he also exports coffins to China, Japan and New Zealand, he said.

“Most of the exported coffins are made from particle board because they are used for cremation, so they usually order a material that can easily be burned,” he said.

Another coffin producer, Lies Suryana, said she had been in the casket business for more than 25 years.

She said the business idea emerged because at that time it was hard to find caskets in her neighborhood in East Jakarta.

“I started it as a small business and just waited for someone around the neighborhood who needed coffins. But, it started to grow slowly,” she said.

Apart from selling coffins through word-of-mouth, she also has deals with funeral homes and East Jakarta’s public funeral agency.

She has coffins manufactured at her own factories in Sukabumi and Jepara, and usually produces 100 coffins a month so she will not run out of stock if someone orders in large quantities.

“It happened once when we had an order for dozens of coffins because there was a mass cemetery excavation,” she said.

But, she said she does not want her business to be totally commercial and also tries to add social value to her business.

“Although it seems like we’re expecting someone to die to develop our business, it’s not the case.

“We will be happy if we’re asked to help with the funeral service or help those who need the coffins but can’t afford it,” Lies said.

But, recently coffins have not been used for funerals but as a marketing gimmick. An advertising agency sent dozens of coffins to media organizations and advertising agencies in Jakarta to promote a book.

The sender was named a suspect by the police for allegedly violating the Criminal Code.