Capital LLC “VIDA LUX” supplies furniture fittings of the Austrian brand “BLUM” and is its dealer in Kyiv and the Kyiv region. The leadership of the Blum company took an unambiguously pro-Ukrainian position even at the beginning of the war, declaring it as follows: “We are watching the events in Ukraine with great concern and sadness. We are at a loss for words to express our feelings about this situation. The worldwide “Blum” family is also colleagues, partners, clients and friends in Ukraine, and we are trying to support them as much as possible in these difficult times. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this conflict.
Due to the current situation, all deliveries to Russia and Belarus have been suspended.”

The office and warehouse of “VIDA LUX” LLC are located on the ring road of the capital, so with the beginning of a full-scale invasion, the company’s premises were in the front-line zone, where the military prevented the company’s employees from completely pushing the enemy out of Kyiv region and creating more or less safe conditions for the resumption of the company’s work. The company’s managers were constantly in touch with customers, communicating and consulting, and already at the beginning of April, a decision was made to partially resume work. VIDA LUX LLC reported through social networks that the number of requests from customers is increasing, so the company will try to resume its work as soon as possible. Fortunately, the company’s buildings survived, with only broken windows, unlike the nearby businesses.

– Our first contacts with clients, – said the head of the company Alla Sergienko, – were not so much business as friendly: we asked them what their situation was, how they could help. In the process of communication, it became clear that some of our clients are currently in the ranks of the Armed Forces and have currently partially or completely suspended their business activities, but we asked them to be informed about new products and the situation in the furniture industry. Because a person forcibly separated from his usual work by the war still does not forget it, he misses his favourite work.
The volumes of orders were small, but we were happy about that. Because the furniture industry in our region somehow comes to life.

– Did all the novelties that replenished the range of the Austrian manufacturer hit the Ukrainian market?

– Yes, it is, but the war has had an impact here too. Last year’s novelties, such as the new MERIVOBOX drawer system, were planned to be introduced to the Ukrainian market a year ago, but sales only began this year. Let me say a few words about this new product. It is essentially a completely new modular platform consisting of several components that create a wide range of drawers. The system is based on an innovative L-shaped guide rail, which makes MERIVOBOX extremely stable even under heavy loads. Straight lines, minimalist design, and the absence of plastic parts distinguish MERIVOBOX from other drawers and enable the creation of a variety of unique furniture. In this model, the manufacturer not only used but also improved on the advantages of its other popular drawers – TANDEMBOX and LEGRABOX – making them even simpler for design and installation. Ukrainian furniture makers immediately appreciated this, and we have already started receiving orders for this drawer model.

We hope that this year’s novelties will come out on the Ukrainian market in a timely manner. We expect an interesting sliding system and a new model of the lift mechanism, both of which are due out this fall.

How do you promote furniture news and Blum products in general, besides social media?

– The introduction of all new Blum products is accompanied by updating exhibitions in all dealer showrooms and inviting customers to a presentation of the new products and free training on assembly and installation. The overall program of free training for our clients is not only about new products but also applies to well-known products on the market. If a customer needs to provide training for their employees, they submit a request to our brand manager – specifying which product they are interested in and which category of employee requires training (sales manager, designer, furniture constructor, warehouse worker). A training program is then developed based on the request. In addition, all of our sales managers who work in our showroom every day have undergone training at Blum Ukraine and can always provide quick and professional advice to any visitor to our showroom.