On May 26, a round table on the topic “Influence of the forest and furniture industry, industrial parks on the development of territorial communities of Rivne and Volyn regions” was held.

The participants of the roundtable included community leaders, experts from the timber processing and furniture industries, investment attraction specialists, representatives of the Rivne and Volyn regional authorities, and members of the Ukrainian Parliament.

During the event, the following topics were discussed:

• Opportunities for the economic development of local communities;
• The role played by furniture and timber processing industrial parks and industrial zones in this development.

Practical advice regarding the creation of industrial parks was also provided, and experiences from communities where they are already functioning were shared.

The first session focused on discussing the potential and prospects for the economic development of the Rivne and Volyn regions, specifically in relation to the development of the timber and furniture production industry.

Speakers:

Yuriy Dyuh, Coordinator of the All-Ukrainian Initiative “For the Timber Market.”

Dmytro Yanushevsky, Director of the Rivne Investment Attraction and Investor Servicing Agency “InvestInRivne,” mentioned during his presentation on the industrial parks of the Rivne region that there are already two registered industrial parks in the region specializing in the furniture industry. He added that it is important for local communities to prepare locations and conditions to attract international and national investors.

Oksana Donska, a member of the board of the Ukrainian Association of Furniture Manufacturers, added in her presentation: “The furniture industry of Ukraine has great export potential, as evidenced by over $800 million in furniture exports in 2022 from a country that is in a state of war with russia. The development of the industry is possible through the collaboration of businesses and local authorities. As an example, with the active support of the Rivne Regional Administration, furniture manufacturers actively participate in international trade shows, where they secure new contracts for furniture exports.”

Next, they addressed the economic and social issues faced by communities during the war. What steps are communities willing to take to create conditions for investment attraction?

Speakers: Heads of territorial communities of the Rivne and Volyn regions

The meeting concluded with a discussion on the importance of uniting the efforts of all branches of power during the war and the structural reforms in the industry.

Speakers:

Yuriy Royko, head of the Standing Committee on Ecology, Rational Use of Natural Resources of the Volyn Regional Council, emphasized the risks for the timber processing and furniture industries regarding forestry reform. He saw the need for decentralization, the fight against corruption, and the establishment of transparency.

Leonid Bilyak the first deputy director of the Department of Economic Development and Trade of the Rivne Regional State Administration, stated: “The furniture industry is one of the five selected sectors according to the defined priorities of the Smart specialization of the region. With the support of the Ukrainian Association of Furniture Manufacturers, a furniture cluster was organized, which includes relevant manufacturers from the region. Currently, the cluster generates one-third of the total export volume of the Rivne region.”

Artem Ganushchak, Deputy Mayor of Rivne, talked about a community resident, the largest furniture manufacturer in Ukraine, the Morgan Furniture factory specializing in the production of upholstered furniture. He stated: “Currently, the company employs over 1,000 workers. The company is socially active and actively communicates and collaborates with other enterprises in the region.”

Organizers of the roundtable: All-Ukrainian Initiative “For the Timber Market”, Investment Attraction Agency “InvestInRivne”, NGO “Cluster Economic Development Center”.