Many businesses have developed or even started on the basis of non-reimbursable European funds. The Start-Up Nation funding programme has been the starting point for many stories told here on revistadinlemn.ro. Although there is still mistrust or reluctance, those who persevered, researched, did what it took to score as well as possible, had their projects approved and invested in machinery that allowed them to increase productivity and efficiency, replacing the increasingly hard-to-find skilled labour. For those who are still in disbelief, we have 5 more examples below. Firms that decided they needed funding and believed it was possible. And they won! The common denominator of the 5 firms is the machinery supplier – Nika Machinery – who helped in the implementation process of the projects after winning the tender.
Concepto Furniture - the love of wood in the fourth generation
Furniture concept is a company from Câmpeni specialized in the production of furniture and interior design. The beginning was made more than 15 years ago with wooden furniture, starting from a parental inheritance. The owners' grandfather was a carpenter and joiner, a craftsman at the Peleș Castle, seconded to Sinaia after his skills were noticed during the army. Among other works, he made the dowry chests that are still inside the castle. He used traditional tools that are now in the family museum, tools that bear the stamp of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and of which the whole family is very proud. The tradition has been handed down from father to son.
The last generation consists of the two daughters, architects Mădălina Bakos and Manuela Furdui, who have been strongly influenced by the family tradition. For a long time they were convinced that they would not be able to carry on the tradition, but eventually they found a way to make their mark on the development of the business. They focused on the design side and the introduction of chipboard and MDF panels. The panels allow for some of the most interesting processing, a plus for the interior design side.
In order to move in this direction, young entrepreneurs have accessed and obtained funding through the Start-Up Nation programme. This has been a huge advantage in getting the business off the ground.
"I believe that for many entrepreneurs who are just starting out, this opportunity is the ideal chance to start a business, but the success of the business is guaranteed by the level of commitment
and teamwork - essential aspects and absolutely necessary after obtaining funding. We started this business by combining knowledge of interior design, object design and in the process gaining competence in the production of custom-made furniture made of chipboard and MDF. Within a few months we managed to completely change the production line to offer customers both solid wood furniture and furniture made of chipboard and MDF elements, as the current demand has shifted towards affordable, good quality furniture that meets ergonomic and design requirements. This is how we have succeeded in establishing a market for the current branch of custom-made furniture made of chipboard and MDF elements." - Madalina Bakos told us
One of the important steps in the dossier is the selection of the suppliers of the machinery that will participate in the public procurement tender. Here's what Mădălina has to say about the process:
"As soon as we have established in general terms what machines we need, we started to do research in choosing collaborators and suppliers. As we researched the market and the range of suppliers, we were influenced by the positive feedback, both online and from direct recommendations from other manufacturers. So, in addition to the best price, we also received the most efficient equipment within the parameters of the technical requirements. In our experience, the Nika team is made up of professionals who are a real help in advising us, the collaboration between the parties has proved to be a success, and this leads us to call on them with the same confidence for future projects."
Now, with the production line up and running, they want to grow with market demand, continuously improve, expand the range of products and services, increase the team, bring in new customers while keeping old customers. Satisfied customers always return to the company's products and services, even if there are very competitive offers on the market. Retaining old customers gives them the confidence that they are doing things right, with the passion and dedication they learned in the family.
Nasminbrat - from supersonic planes to chipboard furniture
It's all about passion in this case too. The truth is, when it comes to wood, it's hard to believe that it's just business. The story began when Cosmin Bratu's father, the company's director Nasminbratretired. He was a pilot on supersonic jets, and in retirement decided to move on to something else. So he returned to his old passion, wood and furniture, which he shares with his son. The first steps were uncertain and hard, as with any beginning, but with a lot of passion, dedication and attention to detail they turned their passion into a business.
"The Start-Up Nation program was like a door that opened and through which we stepped to another level in terms of business development and most importantly, in raising the quality bar thanks to the new machinery. We had known the need for machinery for many years, we knew we needed a moving table circular for chipping chipboard and most importantly, an ABS edgebanding machine that would give us superior quality. In addition we purchased other multi-drilling and complementary machines."
The first contact with Nika Utilaje was in 2017. He was impressed with the professional way he was guided and everything he wanted to know about machinery was explained to him. They worked very well together on the implementation and service side of the project.
"In terms of machine specifications, all we knew was that they had to be robust, easy to use and give us high quality. As machines on the cutting side, we purchased a moving table circular Rojek PK320A, on the ABS application side we got a cant application machine Fravol Master 400-23, easy to use and maintain, which has all the processing groups, from pre-frilling, to rounding to corners, and on the multiple drilling side we have a machine Maggi Prestige 21. I was very pleasantly surprised by the professionalism and involvement of the Nika team, which is rare in Romania. For those who want to have a reliable and long-lasting partner in their projects, I recommend them to work with Nika Utilaje, I assure them that they will not regret a single moment."
With the machines taken through the Start-Up Nation programme they have increased production and raised quality levels. They are so pleased with the results that they already have plans to expand and access new European funds through various programmes. They are determined to continue working with Nika Utilaje, convinced that they will receive the best guidance on the necessary machinery.
Holzkeile - from a personal need to a booming business
Holzkeile is a business started out of a need. In need of furnishing his home, Adrian Popescu looked for various custom furniture manufacturers. But they all had very long delivery times and he realised there was an opportunity in this market. He started to study the field, its potential, and became more and more interested until he became a wood enthusiast.
"I researched the market a lot before deciding to take this step (accessing Start-Up Nation funding), both online and physically, by visiting the Expowood fair in Brasov. There I met and talked to many machinery suppliers who helped me better understand what technical solutions were available. I said, if I'm going to make this purchase, let it be high technology that can be used for longer. Through the programme I purchased a CNC for drilling and milling Masterwood TF 100 2.0.
I was pleasantly surprised by the collaboration with Nika Utilaje. I met them at the fair in Brasov along with other exhibiting companies. In working with Nika, I was first of all glad to have someone to talk to on a human level, whatever the situation. They showed flexibility, professionalism and very good technical training. I felt that we were a team together and I was able to implement the whole project on my own, without a consultant."
Holzkeile is now running smoothly and they want to meet the demands as best as possible. And they are watching the European funding programmes because they want to make further investments in the company's future to increase production capacity.
Metaxwood - an old furniture workshop in Vălenii de Munte brought back to life by Start-Up Nation
Valentin Picioroga, the administrator of Metaxwood, thought at the beginning of 2019 that it was time to dare to join the family of entrepreneurs in the guild. Together with his wife, they wanted to be independent and contribute to the development of the area by reviving an old carpentry workshop in Vălenii de Munte. As one of the few workshops in the area, they are working hard to maintain the business in these difficult times. But they know they are in a community that needs them and they don't want to give up. And the community has shown them that by the unexpectedly large number of orders they've received. There are now four people in the shop, but they're thinking about hiring if they make it through the winter.
Accessing funding through Start-Up Nation was an opportunity. It was the impetus for development, followed by a lot of work on their part. They had a hard time until the settlement was made because the workshop had to be set up and they also had to hire people, but they succeeded.
"We took the purchase of the machines seriously. From experience I knew that they were the key pieces in a workshop. We rented the workshop with all the old machinery and decided to keep some of it. We knew from the beginning that for quality we needed a calibrating machine. The old workshop didn't have one. Then a sliding table formatting circular was next on the list of needs. The third machine was the screw compressor needed for the calibrating machine. We asked for quotations from 6 suppliers in the country. After a while we got one company that seemed the best in terms of price/quality ratio. Nika Utilaje however went one better, offering for the same budget additional options for the calibrating machine. This tipped the scales in their favour at the tender. What's more, the formatting circular knitting machine we were initially looking at has become a renowned German one, Altendorf.”
Now they wish each other good health and hard work. They hope to expand slowly across the country, not just the local market. Besides, they now have a project for a community in Germany, so nothing is impossible. They want to develop the business not only for themselves, but also for the area and even the country.
Start-Up Nation - the chance to turn passion into business
Sorin Bunta, the administrator of the company Floralex ASF, has always been passionate about woodworking and even had the chance to work in the field. He has always wanted to start a woodworking business and Start-Up Nation gave him that opportunity. In 2019 visited the BIFE-SIM fair having a pretty clear idea of the machinery he thought he needed to start the business. The visit to the fair was more about seeing what was new and talking to exhibitors about technical solutions. He chose to go for quality so that he could use the machines for as long as possible and avoid unpleasant surprises. The machines had to process solid wood and he couldn't afford to make any mistakes. Processing had to be done correctly from start to finish.
"The collaboration with Nika has gone very well, they have always been there for us no matter what the context and we know that they are a reliable partner in the machinery area. I think we made a very good team. We had excellent communication, so the whole project went smoothly. Although there are some aspects that need a lot of attention, European funds can be implemented to give impetus to a new company. We are happy that we were able to purchase the machinery from Rojek, milling cutter FS 550 and the circular saw PF 400Sbut also Tecnodry spray booth„
Now they are happy because they have a good production flow and they have orders they can fill thanks to professional quality machinery. They want to continue developing. These days, seeing that the online environment has been the one that got many companies out of trouble, they want to go more in this direction. For the time being, they are looking at what is the best solution and whether the financial resources will still be from a European-funded project or through direct purchase.
European funds are a chance to start or develop a business. Businesses started through Start-Up Nation or those developed through other funding programmes are proof that there is a system and it works. The important thing is to research, apply and find reliable collaborators.
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