Unforgettable Partnership: Trade Mission and Hospitality with British Partners

Sometimes a single compelling fact is enough to assert that a furniture company is successful. And for the capital-based company “Savchenko Furniture & Interiors,” there are dozens of them, not only in Ukraine. For example, in the “Furniture Maker of the Year 2021” competition, the company participated in two nominations: “Project of the Year” (crafted chairs, armchairs, and sofas for a restaurant in the Italian style “Al Fresco,” as well as furniture and interior design for a country house) and in the nomination “Furniture Masterpiece” (with a set of kitchen furniture featuring French and Spanish motifs).

Another indisputable indicator of success is foreign economic activity, particularly the export of goods and services. In the business sphere of Andriy Savchenko’s company, there is something to be proud of, as they have experience and executed projects in countries such as France (Paris), Bulgaria, and Greece. Moreover, they are considering the possibility of expanding their export geography to Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and recently, the United Kingdom.

Special attention should be given to the company’s presence in a trade mission to London, where they presented their potential in the furniture industry under the national brand “Furniture of Ukraine.” They showcased the capabilities of individual comprehensive furnishing and a series of chair designs.

– The trade mission we are discussing significantly accelerated our presentation in British territory,” says the owner of the company, Andriy Savchenko. “Sooner or later, we would have still ventured to conquer the English market because we have reliable partners-furniture makers there who are originally from Ukraine, and we have already worked together on projects, albeit not in the United Kingdom. As a result of the trade mission, there is a reasonable hope that we will eventually have British clients as well. Undoubtedly, the fact that we had our representatives in London made us stand out and gave us certain advantages in conversations with potential clients. If specific orders appear, objects for our joint work, London guys can demonstrate their capabilities on the spot (they specialize in designer tables) and our capabilities, take necessary measurements for clients’ projects. Of course, this is mutually beneficial for us.

There were many negotiations – almost fifty, in terms of results – I hope that 10-20% of them will evolve into real contracts, as they say, “take off.” Our proposals and capabilities interested mainly designers; some furniture retailers were interested in chairs.

– Are there contacts that you can start working with in-depth already, for example, making preliminary estimates?

– Certainly, there are such contacts. But we, along with our London colleagues, want to more thoroughly monitor the British market before sending our estimates to potential clients, in order to determine pricing that would allow us to be both beneficial and competitive.

In the photographs are projects from recent times.

Proud to Be a Ukrainian Company

“MetalLand,” located in the Lviv region, specializes in producing “loft” style furniture using metal, glass, and wood. Considering that the demand for such furniture in the Ukrainian market is less widespread than for traditional wooden products, the company also offers a wide range of “metal services.” They manufacture stairs and railings, doors and interior partitions, and warehouse premises equipment. Moreover, “MetalLand” undertakes custom projects, encompassing the entire process from measurements to on-site implementation.

“MetalLand” is ready to tackle projects of any complexity, and this is the key to their success even in challenging business times. The company takes pride in its Ukrainian origin in the present time when the world has undergone fundamental changes.

With the realization of such pride and confidence in their production capabilities, the company decided to expand its operations into the British market – a rather conservative but highly promising market for Ukrainian businesses. To achieve this, they successfully utilized the organized trade mission to London, supported by the UAFM and the USAID program.

– The seriousness of such a step, – shares Lyudmyla Turik, co-founder of MetalLand, – and the desire for it to be maximally effective for the company is evidenced by the extensive and thorough preparation for meetings with potential British clients, who expressed interest in establishing business contacts with Ukrainian manufacturers. As revealed during numerous contacts, our company found itself in an advantageous position, as the British have a particular interest in metal products, which Britain, having virtually none of its own, imports at fairly high prices. Therefore, what we can offer should be beneficial to them.

Conversations with those interested in metal products were not merely introductory but, in part, quite detailed. I sought to accurately understand the needs of potential clients and to persuasively (including visually) convince them that our company has no “unmanageable” projects. Both the pricing and order completion times were mutually acceptable. For example, someone had a need for outfitting the shaft of a residential elevator, someone was interested in interior partitions, while others were interested in interior or exterior furniture.

Immediately after returning home, we began business communication with those who appeared most ready to cooperate. However, May holidays and significant events for the British, related to the coronation of a new king, hindered us. Meanwhile, we had already prepared everything necessary to send to them.

– From the dozens of meetings and introductory conversations you held over two days, what percentage could realistically turn into specific contracts?

– About ten percent. And that would already be a good indicator for us. Especially since the native Britons practically have no idea that Ukraine is an industrially developed country with a sufficiently powerful and creative, export-oriented furniture industry. For many of them (except for some who are originally from Ukraine), what I and representatives of other participating companies demonstrated was a genuine revelation. I believe that due to their conservatism, those who become actual clients will initially dare to undertake small trial projects to be absolutely certain that what we convinced them of is not an exaggeration but corresponds one hundred percent to the real capabilities of Ukrainian furniture makers.

In the photographs are samples of the company’s products.

Enchanting the British: Ukraine Captivates with Skills and Prospects

If you flip through the Facebook pages of “Frop Wooden Corporation,” a company that specialized in producing furniture for hotels, restaurants, business centres, and private homes, you’ll see that it’s one of the leaders in its field. Even during times of war, it continues to grow due to effective strategic planning, production optimization, and the versatility of crafting solid wood furniture, case goods, upholstered furniture, carpentry products, as well as various complex metal elements and structures. With over 200 projects both in Ukraine and abroad, their portfolio is substantial.

“Frop Wooden Corporation” furnished several projects even during a state of war, such as:

• The premises of the football club “Prykarpattya.” Thanks to close cooperation with designer colleagues, the artisans at “Frop Wooden Corporation” created a modern space for the “Prykarpattya” football club. This space is intended not only for work but also for relaxation.
• The “UnderHill” hotel near Ivano-Frankivsk. This hotel stands out with its unique design, and “Frop Wooden Corporation” was responsible for furnishing its interior, creating a unique atmosphere and ensuring comfort for hotel guests.
• The “Bear Mountain” hotel in Yaremche. The interior of this hotel became unique thanks to the work of “Frop Wooden Corporation.” They skillfully furnished the hotel, creating a cozy and elegant atmosphere for guests.

At the end of April, the Ukrainian Association of Furniture Manufacturers (UAFM), with the support of the “USAID,” organized a representative mission of Ukrainian furniture makers to the United Kingdom. Among the twenty companies that had the opportunity, after a rigorous selection process, to conduct B2B meetings with English buyers, designers, architects, hoteliers, restaurateurs, office centre and fitness club owners in London to offer their products and services, the corporation “Frop Wooden Corporation” was one of them. Here’s what the co-owner of the company, Olena Fetsenets, had to say about this important trip for the company.

– The organizers of the mission, to whom we owe our thanks, made efforts to engage as many potential British clients with Ukrainian furniture as possible, so there were numerous meetings and negotiations. We hope that at least some of them will turn into contracts. For example, participating in projects of cottage town developers seems promising. We have experience, which was demonstrated to the British, such as furnishing the “Skogur” cottage complex in the Carpathians. A British construction company, which was mutually interested in conversation, constructs cottage communities not only in England, so we also discussed the possibility of providing furniture services to them in Germany or Albania.

Working with another developer could also be productive for our company. They are interested in our experience and capabilities. They build turnkey apartments and are interested in furnishing them with standard furniture. Currently, we are preparing a cost estimate for such a project, and if we come to an agreement on pricing, we will have a British client in our customer base.

– Was the fact that there’s a war in Ukraine a hindrance to negotiations? Did the British put forward any specific conditions for cooperation?

– No, it wasn’t. Of course, they were aware of the war in Ukraine, yet they still decided to engage in negotiations with Ukrainian furniture makers, being interested in potential collaboration. So, this circumstance did not deter them.

In the photos:

• Project for the FC “Prykarpattya.”
• An interior fragment of the “Bear Mountain” hotel.

Complex yet alluring British market

A success story of a company is not just about its production achievements and business prowess, but also the intricate path it must tread. The company FDA Group recently took its first steps on this journey. After the successful completion of an extensive preparatory period and rigorous selection, it participated in the business mission of the Ukrainian Association of Furniture Manufacturers (UAFM) to the United Kingdom at the end of April. The primary goal was to expand its foreign economic activities and find clients for its products and services in the British market, which has always been appealing yet challenging.

However, concerning the domestic market, the FDA Group company has always held leading positions and has every reason for success. They provide custom office furniture of their own production and also imported from reputable European manufacturers. They offer acoustic solutions utilizing special panels under the brand name RE:QUIET, created from synthetic felt made from recycled plastic bottles, which are not yet widely known in Ukraine. Additionally, the company is capable of providing turnkey solutions for offices, co-working spaces, public areas, residential complex lobbies, shopping centres, cafes, bars, and restaurants, and assisting designers and architects in realizing their projects.

Among the projects they have executed, there are spaces like “I-HUB,” a light-filled area with lush greenery for the innovation division of “DTEK” company, acoustic solutions in the office of “Kyivstar,” cinemas in the recreational zone “Buzska Porohy” and DTEK Academy, offices for banks, many IT companies, and co-working spaces.

The experience of implementing diverse projects in outfitting commercial venues proved to be a “trump card” in negotiations for Stanislava Kruhlyakova, co-owner of the company, with British designers and architects who came with their needs to Ukrainian furniture makers. For example, a local furniture company expressed interest in setting up their showroom with RE:QUIET panels, according to Mrs. Stanislava. A retail chain of materials for repairs and decoration was intrigued by the idea of selling pre-sized sets of wall acoustic panels.

– Overall, we have been targeting the British market for quite a while, – Stanislava Kruhlyakova continues her account of the London negotiations. – I have many acquaintances there among designers, some of whom we’ve been collaborating with for a long time. We had plans to attend an exhibition at the beginning of the year, but visa issues at the time hindered us. So, when UAFM organized this event, we were among the first to sign up.

Catalogues, project estimates, and other necessary materials and documents required for contract negotiation have already been sent to potential clients where prospects for genuine collaboration have emerged. We are awaiting responses.

In the photos: the project realized in the “DTEK” company.

UAFM organises a trade mission to Great Britain with the support of the USAID Competitive Economy Program in Ukraine (USAID CEP).