This is how the first steps are taken.
Calling their products “furniture as art” (this is about the Belocerkovsky company “RKB”), it’s a sin to limit it only to the domestic market. Its leader Александр Бадзюк understands that without us. He told how he understands that in the future he can become a substantial and instructive export history of his company.
– Before establishing my own furniture production, I was engaged in foreign economic activity (in a simple way – export), working in other furniture companies. Being in one – the deputy director, in the other – the chief technologist. Therefore, it has been enriched with such experience, and is committed to using it for the export of its products now. The difference of the export, which was organized earlier, from its own export goals in the content of the products: they were cabinet furniture, we rely on furniture from the array. These are chairs, bedrooms, living rooms, furniture of the dining room group.
Oleksandr Badzyuk is grateful to the Ukrainian Association of Furniture Manufacturers for joining his company to a group of others who were going to go to Rovno to meet and negotiate with a British buyer, who came to establish contacts with Ukrainian furniture manufacturers who would like to sell. This event was organized by UAFM in preparation for the trip of representatives of Ukrainian companies to the Manchester summer furniture exhibition and participation in the planned government trade mission in the UK. It is clear that such measures can significantly simplify and shorten the way for companies to the British market. As soon as the furniture B2B summit was held, in which Alexander Badzyuk also took part (there we talked to him). And he, in turn, talked with Polish and Spanish guests, offering RKB products.
– As you know, the British cherish and multiply national traditions. And in this sense, they are conservatives. If we talk about the British furniture traditions, they are based on a classical style similar to us. Our company produces mostly classic furniture, so we hope the English will like it. For example, products in the style of “Provence.” Models are made in various types of finishes and in a rich color palette. However, I will offer them in Exactly the entire range available in a well-executed catalog. Managed to prepare and price in dollar terms.
And to show the “RKB” really is that: some chairs in the range of about fifty models. The stream has eight bedrooms. These Belotserkovsky furniture makers work with two types of natural wood – ash and alder.
– In the domestic market it is becoming increasingly difficult to sell products due to the fact that the purchasing power of the population has fallen. This circumstance confronted us with a choice: either to reduce production and dismiss some of the workers, or to develop foreign markets. We have more than 80 qualified employees working in the company for more than ten years. Sorry to lose them. And, of course, ambitions are pushing to show our products of the world. Really worth it.
– Do you think that the English will like more – furniture made of alder or ash?
– Probably ash. Ash has a more pronounced and beautiful texture. By the way, such an important stage of wood preparation (raw board), as drying, we carry out ourselves, having for this whole four drying complexes, including for hardwood. Therefore, in this sense, for 15 years have not received a single complaint from users of our furniture.
“It was noted at the furniture summit: it is not enough to make good-quality furniture for export, we need excellent service – timely delivery, quick installation and quick repair or replacement of some parts in case of damage to the product. Are you ready for such requirements in case there are customers abroad?
– In Ukraine, you have already established such a service, which delivers and rents acquired furniture, which is called “turnkey”. There will be no problems with its distribution outside Ukraine. There are people who can communicate in English.
– What other markets are you looking at?
– Was at three German furniture exhibitions. He studied that furniture manufacturers offer their countrymen from natural wood what is bought there. A little bit is not that the product, which is customary for our production, is mainly made of oak, the finish is different, it is the impregnation of wood with oils, and not painting. The surfaces are as natural as possible – with knots, rusty. We in our products avoid this. But we practice the use of carved, bent parts in our furniture, which is characteristic of traditional classics. We will calculate and think over such options. Maybe after a while it is more objective to act in the German direction.
Of course, this is not the export story that we told earlier from the words of experienced exporters, but only a preface to the future history, which we believe RKB will be successfully written.

The heading “Success Stories” was founded in the framework of a grant project with the support of the Swiss Cooperation Office in Ukraine, the project name: “Increasing the level of cooperation and trust with joint participation in international and national government procurement” – TENDER TOGETHER.