L’OFFICIEL MAGNETIC
CHANGE IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS In 1993, a group of Canadian-Latvian friends and relatives came up with the idea of importing a product unknown at that time – bitumen roofing – into the local market. This is how Ripo was launched; it has now become one of the most recognized furniture, garage door, and balcony manufacturers in Latvia. The company, whose cabinet systems, kitchens, gates for private and industrial properties, railing systems and glazing can be found in almost every home of your friends and acquaintances, is now looking at new export markets. Elvis Sakārnis, chairman of the board, continues talking about the growth of Ripo Fabrika. Text by Dagnija Leitāne
day, Ripo has developed a range of products mainly focusing on the ones developed and produced by the company itself. When did you realise that the company had potential? The growth was not as gradual as expected when viewed from a modern perspective. Everything developed quite naturally and was based on the fact that we were not afraid to take risks and go in new directions, thus gaining experience. Our courage to start and work was one of the cornerstones of growth. The most important indicator is the customer, whose positive feedback and satisfaction with the product quality allowed us to increase sales. What was the beginning of Ripo? Ripo was one of the first companies in Latvia to start selling well-known products such as bitumen roofing materials and OSB boards. Initially, there were no grandiose business plans, it was a different time and they were not necessary. Gradually, the company, which only imports and sells products in Latvia, also started to produce. To46
Is the local building-material market open for innovation? Yes, but presenting a new product some time ago was certainly a lot easier, as it was the era of change. Customers were very open as new products continuously came onto the market. Nowadays, it gets more and more difficult to impress a customer with something truly innovative.
Do you have any trouble working with your friends every day? From the first days, Ripo was made up of a group of friends and relatives, making it partly a family business. Over the years, we have developed the ability to separate work from our daily routine, which may seem daunting, but we have also learned to respect each other’s wishes, divide responsibilities, and thus complement each other. What are the biggest challenges the company has faced? Any challenge is also an experience to learn from. They have been very different from time to time. The last ten years have dramatically changed trade and our daily lives as such. The speed and manner in which you communicate with a customer is a challenge that prevents you from resting on your laurels. You need to be able to keep your finger on the pulse of change to understand what’s going on in the world of technology, production processes, and in the communication with people.