The capital furniture factory KITASS rightfully positions itself as a leader in producing furniture for HoReCa establishments. It specializes in corporate projects, furnishing tables, chairs, sofas, fitted furniture, metal products, and carpentry for hotels, restaurants, bars, and cafes, as well as fulfilling private orders. The company has experience exporting its products abroad. They have successfully completed over a hundred “turnkey” projects in various price segments. The company boasts a strong design department, which enables them to develop products based on sketches or photographs in the shortest possible time. However, according to Dmitro Zanko, the co-founder of “KITASS,” the company’s leader should not only be a skilled manager but also possess a considerable degree of expertise in design, construction, technology, and stay constantly informed about the market situation, trendy priorities, and track fluctuations in furniture fashion to comprehensively see and understand the implementation of each project.

– Thanks to our leadership in the HoReCa segment, professional authority, and the company’s established image acquired over the years, which allows us to do what others cannot, at the beginning of the war, we had, so to speak, a full portfolio of orders, including international ones. Executing them last year enabled the company to maintain its staff and even, despite the difficult conditions of wartime, noticeably advance in its development. The fact that the company quickly resumed its operations last year and fulfilled all orders according to contractual terms, without compromising its standards in any of its creative, production, and partnership positions, has once again attracted the attention of potential clients to us – new projects have emerged, which we are currently working on. It’s not the pre-war level of activity yet, but overall, the situation has stabilized. Currently, we are working on four major projects, but there are also pending orders to be fulfilled in the future.

– Do orders during wartime differ from pre-war orders in any way?

– Certainly, they differ in terms of price, considering that everything has become more expensive, almost double the cost of materials, components, and logistics. Additionally, clients now impose very strict time frames for project completion, which puts a significant strain on the production process. However, we manage if the pricing parameters are acceptable to us.

There are paradoxical differences in relationships with foreign clients as well. Last year, they were more willing to place their orders in Ukraine, seeking to help us in the face of the enemy. However, currently, such activity is lacking. Perhaps it’s because regular hostile missile attacks have begun, which can hit any populated area or production facility. Therefore, they are not willing to risk entering into significant contracts with Ukrainian furniture manufacturers.

– From your sources on social media, it can be understood that you create individual furniture pieces separate from comprehensive furnishing and also produce custom-made furniture.

– Yes, that’s correct. Moreover, last year we established a separate brand called “Diza” for this purpose, and the models are created in collaboration with renowned Ukrainian designers. Many of them are also going through challenging times, so this project aims to support our creative colleagues by offering them interesting and beneficial cooperation opportunities. I actively promote our joint creations, including through showcases at international exhibitions, to further convince the world that Ukraine possesses highly creative product design and advanced furniture craftsmanship that have not lost their potential even in times of war. Samples of furniture from the new brand (which has accumulated about twenty pieces in half a year) have already been presented in Norway during the brand launch, as well as at international exhibitions in Stockholm and Milan. A showcase in Paris is also planned for this year.

Our factory also manufactures individual furniture items as a subcontractor for our colleagues in other furniture companies and brands. This partnership not only brings mutual economic benefits but also interests us in terms of our image. In most cases, such furniture becomes exhibits at various exhibitions, which is also prestigious for us. Furthermore, working with reputable brands pushes us to meet their requirements, allowing us to gain new experiences and explore new technologies and materials, which are crucial for the company’s further development.