RIFA, Cluj: a business where employees, customers and machines form a family

At RIFA in Cluj Napoca, I met probably some of the most passionate people. People who are fascinated by their profession, and this can be seen not only in the result of their work, but also in the way they talk about the carpenter's trade. These people have respect and love for wood at heart. What's more, Fares Krishan, general manager at RIFA, treats the business as part of the family, with his two-year-old son playing in the workshop and taking a liking to his father's trade.

Photo and interview: Dan Călin

How did you get into this field?

My love for wood started since childhood. From the second grade I started woodcarving, and from the fifth grade I started carving, and I enjoyed these activities very much. Later, after finishing school, I started working in construction with my own company. In the meantime I also opened a café and ran it for a couple of years. That way I saved some money, but I also borrowed money and could afford to buy woodworking equipment. From 2010 I started doing all kinds of woodwork, teaching myself carpentry. It also helped a lot that I graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Design. Since then we've had more and more to do and have been getting better and better every year. We reinvest 90% of the profit.

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Where does the name RIFA come from?

Those are my initials, my brothers' and my wife's. My brothers have nothing to do with the business: one is a sports photographer in Bucharest and the other has just finished university. But I hope that at some point they will want to get involved in the business.

Family involvement?

Not directly, but they have always supported me. Instead, my two-year-old is in the workshop most of the time and is very excited about everything that is going on. I give him a safe environment, and then let him do what he wants in the hope that he will get into wood. My wife works with us on the bookkeeping side, but will be more involved in the future. Besides, I consider all the tools and machinery in the workshop to be part of the family. If you want to grow your business you have to consider it your family and, just as you invest in raising a child, you invest in the business.

What was the first piece of furniture you made?

A TV dresser made for us out of the parquet flooring we had left over after we furnished our home.

Why did you choose to purchase equipment from Felder Gruppe?

From the very beginning, since 2010, I discovered Felder Gruppe and went only for this brand. I built and welded my first circular myself. And what I really appreciate in a machine is simplicity. That's why I chose Felder Gruppe. Their machines are reliable, simple, don't have a lot of buttons, are reliable, deliver quality and are very good value for money.

How has Felder Gruppe equipment helped you in your work?

They help me in many ways. They are very precise, they also do fine things, I don't have to worry about them breaking, they give me quality.

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What are the most important criteria you consider when investing in equipment?

One of them is its construction, to be as heavy as possible so as not to create vibrations. Another is the gauge, the bearings. Another is the way it looks, another how it's made.

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What do you think are the reasons why customers come to you and not to others?

Because we respect them, because we respect their decisions, because we offer them quality, because we offer them value for money and because we offer them complete interior design solutions. It's also how we communicate with them. We try to make them part of the family. We have no complaints from any of our customers, but even if something has happened we offer a two-year guarantee on every piece of furniture because we know what materials we work with and how well we make them.

Do you have old customers who come back and with whom you've even become friends?

Yes. For example, we have a client for whom we built a café and a few years later two more houses. And there are many like him.

Do you remember a particular piece of work you've done?

The two double doors of the Gloria cinema in Bucharest made of padauk wood. And there would be another work in Galati which involved furnishing a house, including carving.

What does "furniture with passion", "solution with soul" mean to you?

We all work with passion and put our heart and soul into what we do and take care of the wood like our own hands.

You can find and read the full story of Fares Krishan at RIFA and here.

You can follow his work here.

 This interview is part of the Felder Gruppe Romania Customer Stories series. Discover more stories here. 

Photo and interview: Dan Călin