ZIVELLA ANNOUNCES ITS OBJECTIVES

As the private sector develops so there is an increasing demand for office furniture and equipment. The customer in Azerbaijan is showing a preference for high-quality brands and manufacturers. One such brand is the Zivella company which has been operating in our country for many years now, We spoke to the chairman of Zivella's board of directors, Abdurrahman UZUN. 

- First of all, we'd like to know a little bit about your company.

- Zivella was created in Turkey and has been operating in Azerbaijan for eight years. We currently have two shops in Baku. The first was opened on Ataturk Street on "Ganclik" and the second on 28 May Street. Besides that, we have shops in furniture centres on both shores in Istanbul. As well as our existing shops we are planning to open two more in Azerbaijan. In the future Zivella plans to market its products not only in Turkey and Azerbaijan, but also in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Northern Iraq and Western Europe. Our company is conducting polls and researching the opinions of existing and potential clients in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Russia and Kazakhstan. This is very important for us because it is our aim to reach out to such markets as Russia and Africa. We are also the exclusive representatives of the Burotime firm in Azerbaijan and Istanbul. Burotime is one of the biggest office furniture companies in Turkey and is among the top five companies in Europe. Of course, it is a very great honour to be a representative of such a prestigious company. Our main office, which is in Istanbul, has a staff of from 120 to 150 people, including employees from Azerbaijan and Turkey. This shows that Istanbul is becoming one of the main shopping centres of the world.

- Why do customers choose Zivella?

- It could be said that Zivella leads the way in office furniture in Azerbaijan. It is not we, but our customers, who have made this decision. The first thing that comes into our heads when we say Zivella is quality. This is very important to us - we have been and will continue to conduct surveys to maintain the company's reputation. If people have a certain budget to stick to, they buy as much as they can from Zivella. But when they buy from Zivella they know that its furniture will last for a long period of time. Apart from office furniture, Zivella offers its own tables, chairs and kitchen furniture. Indeed, we have broad potential in this sphere. You can acquire furniture of any shape and size. We have a number of patterns and a wide range of colours to satisfy the requirements of the most discerning of clients. Our range is designed for all generations and classes and businesses. It includes items for ordinary employees and middle management, as well as those at the top level.

- As a businessman working in Azerbaijan, what can you say about the country's economy?

- The Azerbaijani economy is developing very rapidly. This has been noted not only in our industry, but in other branches of the economy, too. What has taken other countries 10 years to do, Azerbaijan is able to do in three. There are certain areas of the economy in which, for example, Turkey had to spend 20-30 years, and other countries 30-35 years, to reach their present level. Instead of 10 or 20 years that are needed to research the industry and its potential, create an infrastructure and train specialists, Azerbaijan has the potential to do this in three years. One such area is the furniture sector. We are hoping that Zivella will be able to make a contribution to the development of the furniture sector in Azerbaijan, and we in the company will do everything we can to increase this participatory interest. Since we see our company more as a local company rather than a foreign one and consider ourselves to be Azerbaijani, we are working not just for profit but also for our country's development. Therefore, when we discuss plans linked with Azerbaijan we devote no less attention to this than to projects in Turkey.

- Which category of office furniture do people go for most on the Azerbaijani market?

- The development and dynamics of the market in Azerbaijan is reflected here, too. For example, whereas 3-4 years ago there was a demand for VIP furniture, now it is standard models for professionals that are in greater demand. This is because of the emergence and development of large companies and professional and other firms. It is also the result of an increase in the numbers of the middle class which is considered to be the basic locomotive of the economy. Besides this, the increase in sales for the middle section of the population could be the result of the company's concern for its employees and, as a consequence, a reduction in the scale of social stratification in society.

- Beautiful buildings are cut out for beautiful furniture, and, speaking about the development of Azerbaijan, recently foreign visitors have been holding up Baku, first and foremost, as an example. I'd like to know your impressions both as a foreign businessman and a resident of Azerbaijan.

- Much has changed in Baku in recent years. The emergence of trade marks and brands, which cannot be found in many other countries, including Turkey, the opening of new leisure and entertainment centres, parks and green spaces - this is just a small part of the rapid development which we have already mentioned. I would like to point out in particular events of international importance that have taken place in Baku and other parts of Azerbaijan in the last few years. They have very great significance in spreading the country's popularity in the world. There is no denying that following the Eurovision contest in Baku this year, our friends in Turkey and in Europe became more interested in Azerbaijan. Many people are envious that we live in such a beautiful country.