Usually, when we feature stories under this section about those U\u0410F\u041c members who are not directly furniture makers, but are somehow related to furniture making, we resort to an extended presentation part of such a story in order to introduce the main audience to how such colleagues from the Association can be interesting and useful to them, so:<\/p>\n
“COME-FOR”<\/a> is a company that combines a factory producing sleeping goods – reliable and comfortable mattresses, cozy pillows and blankets, quality home textiles – with an online store of the same name and a well-known brand in the country under which these goods are manufactured and sold. “COME-FOR”<\/a> is not only about quality sleep, but also about a high culture of doing business. The sleeping goods industry is not standing still, new technologies and materials are emerging, fashion is changing. The company’s experts are constantly studying the changing market, including through participation in international exhibitions, and quickly respond to its demands. For the products manufactured by the company, safety of use is paramount, so they exclusively use environmentally friendly, hypoallergenic materials. Such products are competitive in foreign markets as well, the geography of which is quite extensive for the COME-FOR<\/a> company.<\/p>\n The ongoing war is a sad and critical period for every business in Ukraine. Therefore, there is no way to avoid this topic in the current stories about members of our association, especially since they often contain valuable experience of resisting this misfortune. So the conversation with Artem Kudinenko began on this sad note.<\/p>\n – We are located in the Kharkiv region, which was a front-line region for a long time, but even after the enemy was pushed back, it regularly suffers from shelling, destruction and casualties. Therefore, the forced pause that we, like practically all domestic producers, took lasted longer than most – as long as two months. But the next two months were also not for production, but for shipping, so to speak. We were shipping finished products to customers whose deliveries were delayed by the unexpected start of the war. Oh, how difficult the delivery was, especially abroad. Logistics became much more complicated and expensive in the first months of the war. This strained both us and our foreign counterparts.<\/em><\/p>\n – We are aware of those difficulties. As well as the fact that some foreign clients of our companies stopped doing business with Ukrainian manufacturers because of this.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n – Our company was among them. At the beginning of the war, we also lost some importers of our products. Some were simply afraid to do business with a company from a country at war. For others, our products became unprofitable due to logistical inconveniences and price increases after the start of the war. Over time, as product delivery stabilized, we managed to win back such clients.<\/em><\/p>\n – And how did you convince them to come back?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n – On the whole, our products persuaded them more. Their high quality and attractive price. Although the fact that the company’s owner is a foreigner who did not withdraw his capital from Ukraine, especially from a region like Slobozhanshchyna bordering Russia, and continues to produce products that satisfy them, also played a certain role. True, we had to wait about a year and a half for some to return, while they got used to the inflationary troubles in their countries, because Russia’s war in Ukraine indirectly affected them too. When their Western suppliers of similar goods also started raising prices because of this, our products became competitive and attractive to them again.<\/em><\/p>\n – By the way, about the attractive price. How do you manage to maintain it during the war, when, as is well known, practically everything in the country has become more expensive?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n – First of all, because we have a closed production cycle for our main products, so we do not depend on contractors and suppliers of components. We only buy materials. Small increases in product prices only occur when the currency becomes more expensive, because we mainly import materials. But for domestic buyers, such price increases are offset by promotional sales that are periodically offered. For example, in March, on the occasion of World Sleep Day, there was a 30% discount on COME-FOR products that lasted a whole week.<\/em><\/p>\n We also use another means of offering attractive prices for our products – manufacturing high-quality, low-cost goods. For example, our new Basic Light lightweight down comforter model with a siliconized filler. Again, to achieve a low price for a very comfortable product for use at any time of year, we managed to do so because we carry out secondary processing of standard siliconized fiber ourselves, achieving different levels of its fluffiness, so that thanks to such a filler, the bedding product has high performance characteristics, reaches a premium level, and at the same time has a fairly moderate price.<\/em><\/p>\n – And now about what is particularly painful for Ukrainian employers today – staff. Are you also experiencing a shortage?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n – In this regard, the company actually feels quite good. We even carried out staff reductions in line with reduced production volumes caused by the war. And in general, there is enough labor force in our region, as strange as it may seem. Including male labor force, despite the mobilization. Perhaps because a certain part of enterprises was still forced to cease operations, some relocated to other regions, so people are looking for jobs.<\/em><\/p>\n – Let us hope, trusting our army, that it will stop that onslaught that is once again threateningly approaching from the north, and allow you to produce peaceful products that make the current anxious life of Ukrainians more comfortable without interruption.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n\n\t\t