History

The history of a factory Progress is already more than 30 years. For this time the enterprise has gone through many changes, at times difficulties, but constantly developed, searched for all new ways of an output to the consumer. For today Open Society Progress is included into number of the largest furniture manufacturers of Ukraine.

1973

Year of the basis of a factory Progress. Manufacture of the consumer goods, a metal accessories for the building organizations, educational visual aids for schools and technical schools.

1994

In a situation of struggle for a survival the factory, in conditions of hard, and sometimes severe competition, having rolled down in a debt hole, was not able to carry out financial, contractual, and other obligations. The enterprise has appeared on the verge of bankruptcy.

1992 – 1995

Creation and development of private enterprise Fiord – manufacturing of upholstered furniture (founders – Bocharov O.E., Plohih A.V.).

The general director of Open Society Progress Oleg Evgenevich Bocharov recollects:

All has begun in December, 1992. We have leased almost collapsed part of an apartment house, without heating, without posting. Originally worked only two persons. Our first bed was named “Arabella”. Then we bought the sewing machine. Soon collective has grown up to 78 person. Later we have developed our first sofa “Stork” which, having been modernized, we produce up to this day. Sofas were on sale well; we have organized separate joiner’s shop, have bought the first joiner’s machine tools. After that the sewing shop has been opened. In the spring of 1995 our collective of thirty person moved on Progress.

1995

PE Fiord becomes the main shareholder of Open Society Progress. There is a change of owners, managements. As a result, since April, 1995, after re-equipment and reconstruction, shop and industrial lines of a factory Progress have been reoriented on release of furniture and furniture accessories. Official birthday of a furniture factory is annually marked on 1-st of April.

1996

Introduction of innovative technologies, escalating of sales volumes, the beginning of creation of a network of firm shops. First of them – in a Dnepropetrovsk on Gorkiy str, 22.

1997 – 1998

Expansion of assortment of production and improvement of its technical characteristics. Opening our new shops in Zaporozhye, Donetsk, Kharkov, Krivoi Rog, Lugansk, Odessa, Simferopol.

1999

Winning the national premium The Best Choice for quality of production and unique innovations in manufacture (set “Lagoon”).

2000 – 2001

Purchase of the expensive modern German equipment for manufacturign case furniture. The repayment and modernization of new premises. Creation of original style and design performances of kitchen furniture. In plans opening of specialized shops-studios for sale of kitchens. Opening a shop in Vinnitsa.

2002

More than 1000 person take part in furniture production. 32 firm shops in 24 cities of Ukraine are opened. Capacities are distributed between two factories (manufacture of soft and case furniture). Both are in the city of Dnepropetrovsk. Cooperation with the foreign customers, the first experience of export of furniture to Germany, Russia. The greatest in Ukraine sales of upholstered furniture. Creation of a corporate site in the Internet (http://www.mebel-progress.com).

2003

Participation in an exhibition Kiev Expo Furniture 2003. The diploma for the best exposition of national-made production. New firm shops appear in Donetsk, Kiev, Kharkov, Khmelnitskiy, Zhitomir, Chernovtsy, Odessa. 36 shops in 26 cities. Construction of Furniture shopping centre in Dnepropetrovsk is being conducted. ТМ Furniture Progress starts the confident promotion in the furniture market of Germany. Implementation of the first sleeping set “Vega”. Essential expansion of offered assortment of upholstered furniture and kitchens.

2004

Construction and opening of shopping center Furniture block (the largest specialized furniture shopping center in Dnepropetrovsk – 5 500 sqr. m.), opening the Sumy branch of Furniture Progress. Introduction of standards of merchantdiezing in a trading network Furniture Progress, dealing the contract of cooperation with the dealer in Alchevsk and opening there the first shop Furniture Progress. Opening new shops in Dnepropetrovsk, Dneprodzerzhinsk, Nikopol, Odessa, Kherson, Kremenchug, Kharkov, Donetsk. Essential expansion of floor spaces and capacities due to reconstruction of a factory of upholstered furniture, development of a new commodity position “Bedrooms” and introduction a new collection of kitchens “Karina”.