For the past six years, the Ukrainian village of Zymna Voda, strategically located next to the ring road leading to the Polish border town of Przemyśl, has been home to producers of stylish and functional street furniture. Local company Fix Production and Project Union LLC (Fix Union) offers an extensive portfolio featuring street lighting, rubbish bins, bicycle racks, modern benches and chairs, and more. The company’s products can be seen adorning the streets of Kyiv and Odesa, Lviv and Kolomyia, and various other Ukrainian cities. Soon, thanks to EU support, their products will also reach international markets.
Healthy urbanism
Fix Union’s founders came up with the idea of producing street furniture in 2018. They believe they entered the market at an opportune moment, as demand for their products surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. With indoor events and gatherings largely curtailed by lockdown restrictions, outdoor spaces equipped with comfortable furniture and adequate lighting became increasingly popular. However, despite the apparent need for such products, the company still faced significant challenges.
In the past, setting up welcoming recreation spaces had been done in a haphazard, disorganized way, making it difficult to identify suitable distribution channels for the company’s products. Furthermore, the lack of professional standards and innovations in this sector stemmed from low demand and resultantly minimal supply. Consequently, there was simply no one to “set the standard.”
Urban spaces frequently fell short of accessibility requirements, and inclusive design was rarely considered. Fix Union also struggled with outdated modern equipment, which hindered their ability to design and produce high-quality street furniture and lighting. Without the necessary resources, entering foreign markets seemed an elusive goal.
In search of assistance, Fix Union turned to the EU4BUSINESS: SME Recovery, Competitiveness, and Internationalization programme, which is funded by the EU and the German government as part of the EU4Business initiative. The Ukrainian company acknowledges that this support has enabled it to soar, increasing productivity, and expanding its export capabilities.
A leap into the future
Crucially, Fix Union received vital assistance in legally safeguarding their intellectual property. They registered a trademark, obtained patents for their innovative developments, and secured copyright for their product catalogue. This comprehensive groundwork has established a solid foundation for entering foreign markets, while also enhancing the producer’s competitiveness.
The EU and German financial aid was allocated to purchasing essential equipment and software. This enabled them to create appealing visuals for their uniquely-designed spaces, utilizing their own innovations. Ultimately, the company developed solutions that meet global standards.
“The programme experts helped us with marketing and product promotion for both the Ukrainian and foreign markets,” says Oksana Straz, head of development at Fix Union. “We developed a brand book, created detailed product catalogues in Ukrainian and English, and developed a promotional video. Additionally, our specialists were given advice on media promotion. This effort is already yielding its first results; the company has commenced negotiations for export to the UK, Italy, and the United States."
Meanwhile, during the European Cluster Conference in Brussels, company representatives established their first international connections, forming partnerships with colleagues from Belgium, Norway, Lithuania, and the United States, while at the same time exchanging experiences. They have also joined the Lviv Furniture Cluster – an association of furniture producers.
To support these significant developments, Fix Union’s management created four new positions within the company. Currently, the enterprise employs 15 staff members, including developers, engineers, technologists, electricians, plumbers, welders, and carpenters.
“It is vital to support micro- and small enterprises, as in their infancy they are at their most vulnerable – especially during such turbulent times as now – but at the same time adaptive to new approaches,” notes Straz. “With the backing of the EU and the German government, we’ve been given the chance to grow both in Ukraine and abroad. On our own, it would have taken us five to seven years to achieve such results. So we’re extremely grateful for the opportunity to take not just a step but to leap forward in establishing and expanding our business.”
Currently, the company is focused on fortifying its market position and developing its brand as a producer of inclusive solutions for civic spaces. Grounded in the principles of sustainability and social responsibility, they are committed to developing and rebuilding Ukraine, while at the same time caring for the future of the whole planet.
