In Europe, “moved” on the billiard tables
Relatively speaking, just like that. This is the beginning of the export history of WOODWERK, which we will now tell with the help of its head Artem Ponomarenko.

– They started their business with the production of billiard equipment. Products are not furniture in the traditional sense, although the billiard table itself is a product, in essence, not much different from a regular table, having the same support legs and top, similar to the table top. It is not surprising, but it is also quite logical that this “almost furniture” activity was subsequently transformed into the full furniture.
With a billiard assortment, we once came to Europe. It was in the Netherlands, where there was a reliable partner with whom we are still working, although the billiard theme for the company has already become secondary. She relegated to the background somewhere in ten years of successful sales of this specific product, mainly abroad. In 2010, it became obvious that the market of billiard equipment began to decline sharply, so we faced the need to reorient our production. Of course, the easiest was to reorganize to traditional furniture.
They started, as probably all furniture makers, quite modestly. Themselves invented the design of the first furniture samples, they themselves designed them, taking as a basis natural wood. Billiard production was not completely abandoned at the same time, because our long-time Dutch client reminded of itself from time to time. Together with the work on traditional furniture, we worked on the order of an interesting model of a hybrid billiard table. It was a transforming table: it could be a billiard room, could be transformed into simple dining table by simple manipulations. The product also began our, already real furniture export. The table hybrid turned out to be a successful design with a good realization potential, which was fully revealed three or four years ago.
Meanwhile, they pulled up their traditional production to a good level, and, no longer being novices in export sales, they began to promote their other products with cord as well. Again, little by little. To the markets in the same North European direction – Belgium, Denmark. “Under the gun” we have Germany, England.

– Maybe your company is among those preparing to participate in the government’s trade mission to England?
– Grateful Ukrainian Association of Furniture Manufacturers, which has enriched us with contacts with potential customers. Participated in the recent Rovno preparatory meeting. The result is a comforting for us: we will take part in the Manchester exhibition, which, we believe, will give the company support opportunities for developing new markets and building up its export potential. We will offer exclusively furniture products, in which both high added value and broader export prospects. These are tables, beds, bedside tables, dressers, shelves, display cases. And purely woody, and combined with metal.

– What kind of massive wood species do you mostly use? Studied, they correspond to the preferences of potential European customers?
– We work with ash and oak. Ash prevails significantly. Largely because this breed is cheaper, therefore it is more acceptable for the domestic market. Given that, in terms of physical characteristics, ash differs little from oak. But if our future foreign partners prefer oak, – no problem! Our production is quite flexible – it is easy to perelabteemos on oak. The only thing you will need to establish a stable purchase of this material.

– Will you have enough of your own design potential to “conquer” new markets?
– While he was missing. By the way, I myself am directly related to this creative work. However, we understand that references to well-known names from the design world are only a plus for the company’s products, therefore, we sometimes invite to cooperation such a famous Ukrainian master of creative design as Pavel Vetrov.
In general, however, in the matter of design, we prefer to go our own way, to popularize our own design style and even style with our furniture. Because of this, we are different from other furniture makers, including our competitors, and, perhaps, the more interesting we are. I call this style Dutch design, close to the Scandinavian style, but that is more technologically difficult, modern with futuristic features. The so-called Dutch style is simple, focused on the mass consumer, “loves” natural materials, including the presence of metal. And pretty rough, deliberately unprocessed. Some would call it loftivsky borrowings. I would refrain from this – I perceive loft as an interior style, not a substantive one. The difference between the Dutch style and the Italian is even more obvious: that often leads to sophistication, complex shapes, even in a modern style that is not characteristic of our furniture.

– The traditional method of finding customers, including foreign ones, is participation in industry exhibitions. Do you prefer the great importance of exhibition activities?
– The WOODWERK company is a regular participant in domestic exhibitions. Participation in international exhibitions did not seem appropriate to us: we are not yet such a company that can scale itself with large furniture forums, even in terms of the costs that participation in foreign exhibitions requires. In addition, the desired effect can be obtained with regular participation in such exhibitions. In addition, the volume of furniture production, which we are now capable of, does not allow us to significantly increase the number of clients. As the company develops expand its customer base. Participation in the July Manchester exhibition will be for us the first international exhibition experience.
Now more relevant for the company is the development of domestic retail, including its own. The domestic market so far provides us with a great margin, and, of course, we strive to take advantage of this. Of course, not forgetting about the prospects of foreign markets – large-scale and stable.

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.