The capital furniture company “NestandArt”, as its name implies, manufactures non-standard, original, individual, distinctive – call it what you want – custom-made furniture. And he explains to his potential customers the advantages of non-standard furniture as follows: you will not find the furniture you dream of on sale: either your apartment is too small for the ones you like, or you are quite demanding, so you do not agree to a standard, mass-produced product, seeking an individual stylish option, then custom-made furniture is what you need. That is why the company has been creating furniture under the “NestandArt” trademark for over ten years so that the customer really loves them.

Currently, in the conditions of martial law, the company feels generally the same as other capital furniture manufacturers, but in details, it still has its own story, which its owner Maksym Davydenko told us about.

NestandArt furniture makers started their usual business only in mid-April. But still, they started not quite as usual – the war made adjustments. About one-sixth of the workers (men) took up arms, i.e. they were mobilized, in the part of the pre-war workforce, the need for production has disappeared at the present time, so only half of the usual team is currently making furniture. Of course, the first thing the workers did when they came to their workplaces was to complete what the war had so unexpectedly and insidiously interrupted, to “close” the previously received orders, because some could not fulfil them on time, of course, through no fault of their own. . Therefore, they work to the full extent of current opportunities and needs.

– It is great luck now, in the conditions of war, to acquire new customers, but you certainly have them. However, it would not be surprising if, under the current circumstances, some customers abandoned their pre-war intentions to purchase new furniture and wanted to terminate the contract with the company. Were there such cases? How did you do? Did you return the advance payments?

– Indeed, such luck is really rare these days. We have new orders, but, unfortunately, not as many as we would like. Since we traditionally serve the capital, our new customers are actually all Kyivans.

And as for the so-called “rejecters”, there were such cases, but also very few. There were attempts by some customers to get their advance payment, but we explained when the company started working on the order that the designer, designer, materials were being sourced, etc., so people had to pay for it. In fact, this is what prepayment is charged for. In the end, we found an understanding with the customers and continued work on the project.

– Some of your colleagues, with whom we previously communicated, due to the current low purchasing power of the majority of the population, are forced to lower the price bar for their products. In other words, to transfer production to the production of economy-class furniture, realizing that even after the war, when the reconstruction of destroyed housing will begin, there will be a need for just such inexpensive furniture…

– We will not lower the level of furniture we are used to, but, also aware of what you said, we intend to create a separate production of budget furniture before the end of the war.

– It turns out, the war not only did not postpone such an intention but also accelerated it.

– It turns out that it is. We had such an intention as early as last year, but the intensity of the orders we received and fulfilled did not leave us the strength and time to get down to business with the creation of a new production, a new company in fact. Today, we not only came close to this but also took the first practical steps – purchased some of the necessary equipment.

However, there is also something that the war postponed for an indefinite period: the plans were to create their own woodworking and metalworking shops.

We also talked with Maksym Davydenko about the company’s export prospects. We learned that seven years ago the company fulfilled a one-time foreign order, and now, again, without waiting for the end of the war, it would like to establish a permanent export of its products. There are already preliminary agreements with customers in the USA, but the logistical component of this idea is complex. Maksym turned to UAFM for help in this matter, knowing that support for export-oriented companies is among our priorities. I got a couple of phone numbers of people from companies that specialize in this business, they are still studying the needs, possibilities and offers from NestandArt.