Kharkiv is almost the only regional center that, starting from February 24, has been subjected to enemy shelling almost continuously, but contrary to the expectations of the russian aggressors, it is unconquered – it lives according to Ukrainian laws, most of the enterprises work for the needs of the state and the city. Among them is a part of furniture factories, our colleagues. They can rightly be called unconquered – because neither the risk of being hit by enemy shells any day, nor the ever-longer lack of electricity, nor the complications of acquiring the materials and components necessary for the production of furniture, nor a significant outflow forced them to stop their usual furniture work personnel.

This story will be about one of such stable companies. She is well known in the industry – “INSTYLE“. From the story of its manager, Roman Sydorenko, we learned that even in the most difficult period of the war, the company was not idle for a long time. Processes that could be carried out remotely were restored in a few days, and the return to the office and the resumption of production took place in mid-May. At first, a few people went to work, but in two weeks almost half worked. They had obligations for some already started projects, so they tried to fulfill them first of all, using the available stocks of materials and accessories.

But most of the orders received before the war were suspended by customers indefinitely. And to implement furniture projects in the high-price segment, in which “INSTYLE” usually furnishes, became almost impossible in the conditions of martial law, and even more so in Kharkiv. This became the most difficult challenge for the company. To a large extent, the subsidiary company “ReStyle”, created at the end of last year for the production of branded furniture of the same name in the middle price segment, helped out.

– You seemed to have a premonition that in a few months the need for cheaper furniture would grow so rapidly.

– I did not foresee that such a demand would be caused by the war itself, but, knowing the Ukrainian furniture industry well, and orienting myself in market trends, I understood that the company should also produce more affordable kitchens. And the fact that their production was established just a couple of months before the russian invasion is just a lucky coincidence.

The “ReStyle” brand now fully lives up to our expectations. Designer kitchens in an attractive and fashionable Scandinavian style and at an affordable price for today’s time have really boosted our sales significantly. Especially in those regions that received thousands of refugees. We make orders within three weeks, or even faster. Ordering furniture is very easy, including online.

– Were you unable to relocate production to a safer area or did you not want to do it?

– Both. Or rather: they didn’t want to. We have a large, powerful enterprise, with a lot of equipment – in particular, large-sized, heavy machines, which would be extremely difficult to move to the other end of the country. In addition, we would have to leave some valuable specialists here, whom we value very much, as well as our friendly team as a whole – not all of them agreed to leave their Kharkiv homes, despite living in daily danger. But, of course, we have a relocation plan.

– What about exports? We know INSTYLE as one of the most successful pre-war exporters of Ukrainian furniture.

– Now, unfortunately, we cannot boast of the same success in foreign markets. But even during the war, they received a solid order from the Czech Republic: they have just completed the comprehensive furnishing of a dental center in Prague. Therefore, the image of a reliable partner for the company remains even outside the country, despite the difficult conditions in which we work all months of the war, fulfilling our obligations to clients at a high level.