“We are very good at what we do,” says CEO Daniel Nevařil proudly. “We try to have the biggest variety of furniture edging products on the market, but we are really selling an all-round service. We can recommend to customers what works best with their furniture to create the perfect fit, both in terms of the edgings and the glue used to fix them. Our people really understand adhesives and know how edgings work too. Our uniqueness lies in a deep understanding of carpenters and joiners, a personal approach, and assistance right in the workshops. It is our goal to be the global number one edge-bending technology service provider.”
Hranipex produces mainly polymer plastic edgings, which it manufacturers from premiumquality granulate. There are some edgings the firm cannot produce, and these are bought from other manufacturers for distribution.
“We see ourselves as distributors, although today we produce more than half of what we sell,” points out Mr. Nevařil. “Our production is extremely flexible. We run relatively small machines, so we can switch production very quickly. We can do runs from 1 m to 10,000 m. With our technology, customers can buy exactly the quantities they need.”
Edging is available in 500 different colours and nearly 1,000 special effects and wood decors. The vast majority of edging today is plastic. The company also supplies paper, wood and veneer edges, but demand for these is declining.
“The business is very diverse, which is why we have huge stocks,” continues Mr. Nevařil. “Every customer needs something different. Trends change quickly, so you need to have everything available. We invest in our stock to ensure the best and fastest service for our clients.”
Understanding glue systems is an important part of Hranipex’s business because of the complexity of the edge-bending process. To obtain great results, it is necessary to fine-tune a lot of parameters and choose the right chemistry – part of Hranipex’s expertise. Its experienced staff advise customers of the best solution for their particular need.
“We sell a complete service. Consultancy and advice come before the product. This is our tool for making perfect furniture,” adds Mr. Nevařil. “Our motto is ‘a happy and growing customer’; our aim is to help our customers to be more successful in their business.”
Hranipex was founded in 1993 by the Rýzners, a father and son partnership. Initially, the company focused on the distribution of edging to mid-sized carpenters. From the outset, the Rýzners concentrated on offering great service.
The breakthrough came when the company became among the first in Eastern Europe – and the first in the Czech Republic – to distribute, and later produce, polymer edges. As well as leading the market with its innovation, the company benefited from another significant advantage.
“The owners reinvested a large proportion of the profits back into the company,” Mr. Nevařil explains. “By 2009, they had sufficient capital to open new branches across Europe.”
Today, Hranipex is present in twelve countries in Europe and distributes to more than 60 countries around the world. The company has served 13,000 happy customers in the last two years. A new management team, including Mr. Nevařil, was installed this year.
“We are working on a long-term vision,” he reveals. “We want to be even more innovative than before, and we plan to invest not only in the products themselves, but also in service, customer care, logistics and technology.”
Headquartered in Humpolec, most of production is undertaken in the Czech Republic. Hranipex has sales and distribution offices in Slovakia, Poland, Romania, Hungary, the Ukraine, Belarus, Austria, Germany, France, the UK and Lithuania. The majority of the company’s annual turnover of more than 55 million EUR is exported.
“We have over 100 salespeople in Europe. They instinctively know which companies would make the right customers for us. They just go hunting,” Mr. Nevařil laughs. “We understand our customers and their real needs. Based on that, we focus on the right solution, technical support and consultancy. Although we are not the cheapest, we are among the market’s preferred suppliers due to our highquality products and our superb service.”
Indeed, it is for very good reason that Hranipex is one of the leading companies in Europe for furniture edging. “I believe it is down to a number of factors,” stresses Mr. Nevařil. “We are continually gaining new knowledge of furniture edging technology and techniques, and we share this with our customers. They know what to expect from us. We use only high-quality raw materials, which our customers recognize and appreciate, even if we are more expensive than some of our competitors. The continual reinvestment of profits also plays a huge role. It enables us to look forward and focus on new innovation. This ensures we remain up-to-date with the latest trends and are able to react quickly to customer demands. The other aspect which I think really makes a difference is that we have a great team here, and as a company, we aim to be a premium employer.”
With the new management team and strategy in place, progress is already being made. A new electronic ordering system is in development, and many other changes are under way. “Our ultimate goal is to become the global number one in the market. We will do anything and everything necessary to achieve this,” Mr. Nevařil sums up.