{"id":15040,"date":"2025-05-01T11:13:34","date_gmt":"2025-05-01T08:13:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uafm.com.ua\/?p=15040"},"modified":"2025-05-01T12:47:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T09:47:10","slug":"uam-v-oblychchyah-rozpovid-vyacheslava-kovalchuka-spivvlasnyka-kompaniyi-lakover","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uafm.com.ua\/en\/uam-v-oblychchyah-rozpovid-vyacheslava-kovalchuka-spivvlasnyka-kompaniyi-lakover\/","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udcacUAFM in Faces: The story of Vyacheslav Kovalchuk, Director of Lakover"},"content":{"rendered":"

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About belief in growth, strategies that work, and a furniture industry that refuses to give up.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cThe best way to predict the future is to create it.\u201d<\/em>
\u2014 Peter Drucker<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Running a business during wartime isn\u2019t just about survival. It\u2019s about reinvention.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In peaceful times, building a business is a challenge. In wartime \u2014 it\u2019s that same challenge multiplied by uncertainty, risk, and responsibility. But it\u2019s precisely in such moments that the strongest ideas, most resilient teams, and true leaders emerge. Even those working in relatively \u201csafe\u201d regions are not living in a vacuum. Their reality is different \u2014 they\u2019ve been given a chance not just to stay afloat, but to grow. And that comes with immense responsibility.<\/p>\n

For such companies, \u201csurvival\u201d is no longer the goal \u2014 it\u2019s the starting point. The real mission is to recover lost ground, rebuild teams, discover new products, new markets, and most importantly \u2014 a renewed sense of purpose. They\u2019re no longer just producing paints, furniture, or technologies. They\u2019re repainting reality \u2014 with a new palette of experience, loss, and hope. And somewhere in the stillness between air raid sirens, a space opens up for breakthrough.<\/p>\n

Even in our industry, there are now more breakthroughs than we ever imagined possible two years ago. These are no longer isolated stories \u2014 they\u2019re a trend. Businesses have learned to thrive not in spite of<\/em>, but because of<\/em> the new reality.<\/p>\n

To better understand how Ukrainian manufacturing is transforming during war, we spoke with someone who didn\u2019t just preserve his company \u2014 he infused it with new energy. Meet Vyacheslav Kovalchuk<\/strong>, Director of Lacover<\/a>, one of Ukraine\u2019s leading manufacturers of powder coatings \u2014 including for the furniture sector.<\/p>\n

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Vyacheslav Kovalchuk: <\/strong>War is a point where the familiar stops working. Everything you once considered \u201cnormal\u201d suddenly becomes irrelevant. You learn to act on the go. To create from scratch. And not just to adapt \u2014 but to build a new business ecosystem in real time.<\/em><\/p>\n

We rightly call heroes those defending our country with weapons. But there\u2019s another front \u2014 quieter, invisible, but no less important. It\u2019s the front of entrepreneurs. People who stayed in Ukraine. Who didn\u2019t hide. Who showed up to work the morning after a missile strike and opened the factory. They don\u2019t just keep the economy afloat \u2014 they provide jobs, pay taxes, and uphold stability.<\/em><\/p>\n

And what amazes me most: despite everything, there are still people bold enough to start new businesses. Not \u201clater\u201d \u2014 now. Because they understand: a new country needs a new economy. This is no longer just about profit \u2014 it\u2019s about responsibility.<\/em><\/p>\n

To be fair, the state has played a role \u2014 with tax breaks, grants, and loans. These truly help. But financial aid is only part of the picture. What\u2019s still lacking is a systemic support infrastructure for business. That\u2019s why some companies have been forced to relocate abroad. They\u2019re not chasing better weather \u2014 they\u2019re seeking a stable environment for growth.<\/em><\/p>\n

But we \u2014 we\u2019ve stayed in Ukraine. And we\u2019re growing here.<\/em><\/p>\n

– How did the first years of war affect your company?<\/em><\/p>\n

– The first year was a cold shower for the entire sector. No one was ready. We didn\u2019t just lose revenue \u2014 we lost our bearings. But we quickly realized: stopping was not an option. So we kept moving forward \u2014 not at full speed, and not always in the right direction, but we moved. Some started from scratch, some brought teams back from evacuation, others had to replace mobilized staff. We were among those who regrouped and began searching for a new business logic.<\/em><\/p>\n

By 2023, we had entered a phase of new strategies. We stabilized, developed new products, invested in training, and strengthened our internal expertise.<\/em><\/p>\n

2024 was a year of growth. Not a triumph \u2014 but real progress. We saw market response and customer appreciation for quality, reliability, and thoughtful service.<\/em><\/p>\n

Like many others in our industry, we believe that even a brief ceasefire will reignite construction \u2014 and with it, demand for furniture. In that cycle, our coatings will also find their place. Because furniture in a new home isn\u2019t a luxury. It\u2019s a necessity. A symbol of rebirth.<\/em><\/p>\n

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– Has the company’s export strategy changed during the war?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

– Yes, it has \u2014 not in essence, but in form. We didn\u2019t lose exports, we transformed them. Before the war, we had efficient logistics and stable presence in the Caucasus region \u2014 Azerbaijan, Georgia. But war reshaped those routes. Instead of fighting the current, we changed direction.<\/em><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve remained active where there\u2019s stability, partnership, and appreciation for our product\u2019s value. Moldova, Romania, EU countries \u2014 these are markets where Lacover doesn\u2019t just operate \u2014 it matters. For example, 25% of all powder coatings in Moldova are ours. That\u2019s not just a number \u2014 it\u2019s recognition.<\/em><\/p>\n

The world is changing. But companies that think globally and act boldly will always find new doors, even when the old ones close.<\/em><\/p>\n

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– Have new products been added to your portfolio?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

– Yes. But for us, a new product is never \u201cjust another formula.\u201d It\u2019s a response to the moment. It\u2019s empathy through innovation.<\/em><\/p>\n

We developed a powder coating with antibacterial properties. Not because it\u2019s trendy \u2014 but because it\u2019s needed. It\u2019s already being used by furniture makers producing for hospitals, labs, and food service. Its applications are expanding daily \u2014 because hygiene is no longer a privilege, but a baseline standard.<\/em><\/p>\n

Our mission is to create a product that not only looks good but makes spaces safer. Every coating we produce is not just pigment \u2014 it\u2019s care, science, and a vision of a world where safety is part of design.<\/em><\/p>\n

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– Can you give examples of customized solutions for specific clients?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

– Absolutely. We believe true partnership starts with listening \u2014 and responding. One example is our long-term client, Kharkiv-based company \u201cNew Style\u201d \u2014 a brand that knows exactly what it wants. When they approached us with a request for a coating that was not only beautiful but also highly durable, we didn\u2019t offer a standard \u2014 we offered a solution.<\/em><\/p>\n

We created a scratch-resistant finish. But we went further. We factored in the reality that even the best surfaces get scratched \u2014 and made those scratches nearly invisible. That\u2019s not just technical innovation \u2014 that\u2019s a commitment to aesthetics, functionality, and longevity.<\/em><\/p>\n

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– Looking back at the three years of war \u2014 what has changed inside the company?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

– We didn\u2019t just survive three years of war \u2014 we used them as a launchpad. When everything around is burning, you either hide or become the light. We chose the latter \u2014 and turned every challenge into an opportunity.<\/em><\/p>\n

Our operations and commercial performance stabilized. But beyond that, we:<\/em><\/p>\n

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  • \n

    expanded our knowledge base and internal team,<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    earned more certifications than in all previous years combined,<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    built a laboratory that drives innovation rather than just supporting it,<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    and invested in education \u2014 because we know: a company grows only when its people grow.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    It was a transformation. From a company that made quality products \u2014 to one that sets the standard.<\/em><\/p>\n

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    – What are your plans for 2025?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    – We\u2019re not slowing down. 2025 is our year of going beyond the expected. We\u2019re preparing for new certifications \u2014 especially international ones. It\u2019s hard, requires effort, knowledge, and operational shifts. But it opens doors to the EU market \u2014 where quality isn\u2019t a plus, it\u2019s a requirement.<\/em><\/p>\n

    These certificates aren\u2019t just pieces of paper. They\u2019re symbols of trust \u2014 and strategic tools. Each certification unlocks a market. Each new market is a step into a future we are building ourselves.<\/em><\/p>\n

    But what truly helped us stand and grow through the hardest times? The team.<\/em><\/p>\n

    Not just employees \u2014 a living organism, where every person is a link that supports the rest. We are a mechanism \u2014 aligned, reliable, focused.<\/em><\/p>\n

    From lab to factory floor, from warehouse to office \u2014 every single person played a part in ensuring Lacover stayed not just active, but a market leader. When the night brings sirens and the day brings work \u2014 that\u2019s not just labor. That\u2019s purpose.<\/em><\/p>\n

    I want to emphasize: no strategy works without people. Every business owner must realize: your team is the engine. Not the logo. Not the tech. The people who choose not to give up, every single day.<\/em><\/p>\n

    The expertise of our team is what sets us apart. Our staff includes high-level scientists and practitioners who not only create products but anticipate future trends. Our service is a benchmark \u2014 recognized by partners in Ukraine and abroad.<\/em><\/p>\n

    Innovation is what separates a leader from a follower.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    An entrepreneur during wartime isn\u2019t just someone trying to survive. It\u2019s someone building the future, no matter what. Lacover didn\u2019t wait for better times \u2014 it created them. That\u2019s not the exception \u2014 that\u2019s leadership. And true leadership means never settling for \u201cgood enough\u201d \u2014 it means always asking: what can I do better?<\/em><\/p>\n

    And if you, like Vyacheslav and his team at Lacover, are still asking that question \u2014 then your business is already one step ahead.<\/p>\n

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