There are several companies in our Association, the owners of which, from the first days of the war, volunteered to defend the country from the enemy invasion and continue this heroic work, having civic duty higher than their own business interests. And business affairs, the burden of managing the company, supporting its full functioning were taken on by their wives in some cases. Now, for example, the Lviv company “Hochu rayu. design bureau” is managed by Vitaliy Kyryliv’s wife – Danuta, and he and his brother are beating the enemy, which we talked about in detail a year ago in one of the publications of this section.
The situation is the same now in the capital company “Ligna”: its owner Oleg Lomovytskyi and his eldest son voluntarily joined the ranks of our defenders from the first days of the war, and now they are fighting in Donbas, while his wife Elina and his youngest son remained at the helm of the company . Unlike Danuta, who has been in the furniture business for a long time, Elina has always been engaged in another business – she is a massage therapist. And unexpectedly, two years ago, she joined the furniture industry.

– We can imagine how difficult this new family duty turned out to be for you, such a responsible burden…
– But I’m not alone. The younger son is familiar with furniture production, because he was, like his older brother, a member of his father’s team even in better times. Engaged in furnishing furniture at the painting department. And the team is now reduced to a minimum – some are at the front, the need for others has disappeared due to a decrease in the number of orders. The most versatile producers remained.

– The following paradox is observed: the last, the most critical year of the war for some furniture companies turned out to be more successful and productive than the current one.
– And our company is among them. The explanation is simple: last year, almost all furniture makers had work because they fulfilled or completed pre-war orders. We also held on to them. The first half of the current year was very difficult due to the lack of orders. They worked, sometimes, a couple of days a week, but did not give up. Autumn somewhat improved the situation. Especially now, because customers usually want to give themselves a gift for the New Year.

– And the husband is now there, at the front, of course not into furniture making?
– Despite all the difficulties of his current employment – battles, other everyday frontline troubles, irregular communication – he remains a real, active head of the company. Makes all important decisions, conducts negotiations with clients, learns about production nuances. And I, in fact, in the role of his assistant, very persistently and diligently do everything in my power to ensure the functioning of the factory. I know how important it is for Oleg that the factory, despite the current difficult situation in the country and in the industry, despite his absence, is still working. It was very difficult for him to create and develop it, that’s why he still values it. So I will do everything – because I can’t, so that he would be warmed there by the knowledge that his child lives, that he was not defeated by difficulties.

– What are the current orders?
– Mostly disposable, for individual furniture items. Mainly from familiar designers who implement their projects. Unfortunately, their circle has narrowed. Knowing the situation in which the company is now, some stopped working with us, fearing that a “headless” factory might fail them. Although we fulfill our production obligations to those customers who have remained loyal to us, even in the current conditions, we understand that otherwise we will lose them as well.
I think it would be appropriate if the Ukrainian Association of Furniture Manufactures would pay special attention to those companies whose managers are at war, as a result of which they do not have the opportunity to fully deal with the company’s affairs. The most helpful was the assistance in finding customers for them, primarily from the members of the Association, who, placing their orders in such companies or cooperating with them for joint projects, could practically support those colleagues who stood up for the defense of the country. Moreover, it is voluntary.
The association was helpful to front-line furniture makers and in other ways – in their front-line needs. When Oleg from the front turned to his colleagues to contribute to the purchase of an anti-drone device for their unit, UAFM was one of the first to respond, contributing its own funds to the required amount, for which Oleg expressed his sincere gratitude on behalf of himself and his comrades-in-arms.