Austria in the market for Estonian design

  • 2009-09-25
  • TBT Staff
TALLINN- Austrian companies are looking for seven Estonian producers forco-operation in the sphere of design; at the moment three localcompanies have displayed interest, the daily Aripaev reported.

Ilona Guryanova, chairwoman of the Estonian Association of Designers,said a delegation of Austrian designers wishing to develop co-operationrelations with Estonia and looking for business partners from thecountry would come to Tallinn in the framework of the Tallinn DesignNights cultural festival.

"There is another group of producers and entrepreneurs who are lookingfor possibilities of production in Estonia as well as subcontracting,but with the opportunity of selling their products in Vienna or in thewhole of Austria," she told the paper.

Vahur Vosa, member of the board of Fellin Furniture OU, said he did notyet know what the Austrians' eventual interests were. But he said thatthe company was interested in co-operation.
Võsa said that Fellin's products were not mass products. As a resultthe company had been looking for opportunities on foreign markets inorder to provide its trademark and Estonian design there.
Rein Raidna, CEO of 4room OÜ, told the paper that mutual sale andpurchase was expected from the Austrians.

 "We hope we could also offerour opportunities of production. The Austrian firm we are interested inis in a very exclusive category," said Raidna.
 
Raidna said that the company had several new export channels andco-operation partners. He said that product development had been thekey issue last year.

Andres Kivistik, CEO the AS Viisnurk furniture works, said that becauseof its niche the company almost did not feel competition in Estonia.

"We have always been looking for foreign partners, but as the volumeshave contracted on the present markets and we have free capacities, weare also looking for new partners," he said.