The war, or rather the complications for doing business that it created for Ukrainian entrepreneurs, forced the capital company “Cassone” in a direct and indirect sense to optimize as much as possible, as its development director Artem Palyutin told us. First, the company’s management significantly reduced its maintenance costs. In particular, the wage system was reorganized. This applies mainly to office workers, who have now actually become out-of-office because they work remotely. Also because there is no office. Under such circumstances, the company refused him. Secondly, the number of employees decreased – some joined the ranks of the defenders of the country, and some ended up outside the country among the refugees. Due to the fact that the economy of the company was optimized in this way, it managed to survive the difficult period of the first months of the war, when it was not necessary to count on new orders.

Cassone‘s production facilities are located in Berdychev, which, thank God, was not subjected to such intense enemy shelling as other cities, so the factory was not damaged. And if so, then it was necessary to take advantage of it, reducing the time of forced downtime as much as possible. The management understood that it was not necessary to count on the opportunities of the domestic market when the war was gaining momentum, although the first unit orders already appeared in May. Therefore, logically, I focused on looking for clients abroad. Some success. We can talk about at least two solid customers. Moreover, in such a very promising country for the furniture production possibilities of “Cassone“, such as the United States. An order for one customer has already been shipped overseas. The furniture for the hotel of another has already been produced and is being prepared for shipment.

– So it is not surprising that your company participated in the recent exhibition in the American Las Vegas.

– In general, for our company, participation in exhibitions is not the main factor of its popularization and the best means of finding new customers. For us, it is more effective to use the funds usually spent on participation in exhibitions to organize targeted trade missions to different countries, which gives better results than participation in exhibitions. Of course, if you are offered practically free participation in a profile exhibition – as it was in the case of participation in the Las Vegas exhibition – then why not take advantage? Even in the event that company representatives are not present at the stand, as happened this year in Las Vegas. It is hoped that the state institution – the Office of Promotion of Entrepreneurship and Exports will continue to promote the promotion of their products to foreign markets in a tangible and therefore attractive way for furniture makers, as it has started to do since the beginning of this year.

– Nevertheless, you have already said that you are interested in the company’s participation in the furniture exhibition held twice a year in New York.

– So. Because I consider it more powerful and one that will give Ukrainian exporters more chances to enter the American market and gain a foothold in it. Therefore, I strongly recommend that the Ukrainian Association of Furniture Manufacturers, which is no less effective than a state institution, takes care of the export efforts of its members, and the Office for the Promotion of Entrepreneurship and Export pay attention to it and find opportunities to encourage as many Ukrainian furniture companies to participate in it as possible. There is hardly enough time to properly prepare for the spring exhibition, but you can for the autumn one.

And I will warn fellow furniture makers who are interested in the New York exhibition, relying on their already certain knowledge of the American market: it is advisable to participate in such an exhibition, already having a solid and convincing portfolio. And even better, if you can demonstrate your projects implemented directly in the USA.

– Did the war greatly slow down the development of the company?

– I will say so – it is tangible. Mainly because the collapse of the domestic market does not give the company the opportunity to fully use its potential.

Nevertheless, the export opportunities that have opened up to “Cassone” compel us, despite the difficulties of the present time, to expand and improve production by purchasing additional equipment and organizing new production lines. And we also intend to create a furniture cluster, involving colleagues, to jointly implement large complex projects, which will be much more efficient and profitable for all participants of such an association. The first organizational steps for this have already been taken. Currently, negotiations are underway for the manufacture of furniture for several large hotels in the USA, and the Cassone company plans to implement these contracts with the involvement of other friendly Ukrainian furniture companies. Because, especially nowadays, it is cooperation and cooperation that is the key to higher business efficiency and competitiveness in the market.