Furniture Environment in Today’s Conditions: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

The article explores how Ukrainian economy continues to develop despite terrorist attacks by the russian aggressor. The challenges faced by Ukrainian furniture manufacturers during the wartime economy are identified: problems with logistics, refusal to use raw materials from Belarus, and labor changes. Among the new opportunities for furniture makers, temporary housing projects for wartime needs, apartments intended for internally displaced persons are considered: the modular town project RE: UKRAINE, the projects «Ukryttya 22» and LIM Capsule. It is found that the prospect may consist in occupying new niches in the world furniture market due to the refusal of a number of countries to remain consumers of Russian and Belarusian furniture products. It is proposed for Ukrainian businesses to insure their property against wartime risks by using the new insurance product War, terrorism and political violence insurance. The adaptation of the economic activity of the private enterprise «Husiatyn furniture factory «Elegant» to the realities of today is analyzed. As part of charitable activities, the company produced a flammable mixture for Molotov cocktails, barrier road devices «hedgehogs», sewed «plate carriers», blankets and pillows, fabricated the economy-class «student beds». The adjustments made by the militarized situation in the innovative activity of the furniture enterprise are described, namely: the renewal of the technological process was planned by the management for 2023, however, owing to labor changes (some men were mobilized, some went abroad) it was necessary to implement modernization plans somewhat faster – in the second half of 2022. It is substantiated that such changes primarily allowed to improve the quality of operations of technological processes and products in general.

Keywords

• furniture industry
• logistics
• labor resources
• modernization
• export