The company “Timirsun” is, fortunately, one of the few members of the Ukrainian Association of Furniture Manufacturers that was severely affected by the war. Its production base was located in the part of the Kharkiv region that was temporarily occupied by the enemy, and, unfortunately, it suffered significant damage, as its owner Tymofiy Irklienko regretfully noted in our conversation. However, like the legendary Phoenix, it rose from the ashes and resumed operations—this time in Lviv. Therefore, it is correct to introduce it as: the Kharkiv-based company “Timirsun”, which now operates in Lviv.

– At the new location, the furniture production was essentially revived from scratch, both in terms of the production base and the team. The factory was rebuilt in a small area, but this “newborn creation” quickly and confidently “stood on its feet,” gaining strength, and had to expand, moving to a larger space. So, we are no strangers to relocations—there have already been three.

The changes did not stop with the relocations—the product has also radically changed. While in Kharkiv, we produced custom-made furniture; in Lviv, starting the company’s production activities from scratch, we couldn’t manage to organize a full furniture production cycle, so we became metal suppliers for now. We manufacture metal furniture frames for fellow furniture makers. And you know, this business has been quite successful, so we are expanding and developing. We were able to purchase modern, high-quality equipment for this new business model, including a laser welding machine, which is currently the highest achievement in welding technologies, and something we can boast about here in Lviv, as only a few large companies in the country have such equipment.

– Typically, when describing machinery as “high-quality,” it means it is highly productive, precise, and can operate with fewer workers. Did you choose this machine for those reasons?

– Exactly. The new machine produces two and a half times more output per shift than a semi-automatic manual welding machine. Additionally, it does not require the welder to have high qualifications: someone with a secondary education can master the machine within a week and produce high-quality products. The machine saves time both in welding and in preparing the structure for painting afterward.

So, with the acquisition of this machine, results came quickly, as they say: now, our profitability level is approaching the pre-war, Kharkiv level. Of course, we didn’t achieve it instantly but gradually increased it.

We started the business revival with my partner not as entrepreneurs but as ordinary workers in a small workshop of 30 square meters—doing everything ourselves with only a screwdriver and a grinder, and only later did we begin hiring professional welders.

– Why the shift towards metalworking?

– It’s not a shift at all. Metalworking is familiar to us: in Kharkiv, we produced loft-style furniture, which requires metal. So here, we continued doing what we knew, only the nature of the products has changed.

– And how many clients have you acquired so far?

– We’re already serving about fifty. These are small furniture manufacturers for whom it’s unprofitable to have their own metalworking facilities, so they turn to us. Is that a lot or a little? Judging by the fact that we have enough work now, you could say it’s the optimal number of clients.

– But with the acquisition of the high-end welding machine, I assume the company’s development doesn’t stop there?

– This purchase is the first significant step. This machine was the primary need for us to generate capital to buy secondary equipment—like a laser cutting machine—and continue developing the company. We plan to purchase a painting line to achieve a closed production cycle: a six-meter pipe enters the workshop, and a finished painted product comes out, ready for the finished goods warehouse. This is the phased development we have in mind. We already have the production space for this growth, which has been reserved in advance.