The past year has been another consecutive time of change and uncertainty. The construction industry is feeling the effects of pandemics, war and related global turmoil. What will 2023 be like? CEO Szczepan Buryło talks about GALECO's plans.
After recent years of uncertainty and crises in the market, there is no indication that 2023 will be any better. How do you assess the future of the industry.
The year 2023 will be unusual. High inflation, the war across the eastern border and even the parliamentary elections, which, due to election promises, may significantly change the market situation, are responsible for this. Today it is hard to predict what the future will bring. And this is the worst possible option. The instability of the business environment requires a very high degree of flexibility and constant activity on the part of entrepreneurs. Therefore, my only advice for the coming months is:let's do our own thing. Worrying about the future won't change it, it's better to use this energy to act boldly and look for additional opportunities to develop the company.
What steps is GALECO taking to get through the years of crisis?
We do not give in to the instability of the environment, and despite the difficult market situation, we try not to slow down. Regardless of the economic climate, we always act to stay one step ahead of the competition. And this is true in every respect. We take care of high quality customer service, active marketing activities and stable commercial policy, the latter being particularly important. I believe that peace of mind with our business partners in the long term leads to stronger relationships and trust, which is of key importance to us. We listen to the voice of the market and the needs of our customers, creating new products to respond to them. Even, or perhaps especially when those expectations are very high. We create trends in the industry, without looking at the competition. I think these elements constitute the market advantage of our company. Today, when the value of the entire market is declining, we can count on the loyalty and support of our customers.
You mention novelties, where do ideas for new solutions come from in a rather narrow market such as gutter systems?
Ideas and products are, as I mentioned, a response to emerging market needs. Changes in trends, new architectural visions, diverse tastes of customers - all this shapes our industry. I try to listen to the needs of architects, who often have unconventional visions, but are unable to realize them due to product shortages. At GALECO, we aim to fill this gap and give them the opportunity to realize themselves creatively. For me, creating new products is also a creative process. To create a new product, you need not only the ability to listen and observe the market, but also imagination and inspiration. To never miss the moment when an opportunity for innovation arises, I always carry a pencil with me to get the idea onto paper as quickly as possible. Then we design and test until we reach perfection.
What innovations will we be dealing with in 2023?
At the moment, I won't reveal the details of our latest project yet, but what I can say is that it will be a real innovation. We will reveal the secret in mid-February, so I encourage you to follow our social media at least. We will also be making upgrades to familiar products. I have always wanted our company to be characterized by determination, consistency and the courage to make unconventional decisions. As a company, we have swum against the current, and I'm sure this has influenced our strong market leadership position, which we have held for years. That's why I believe that the successive innovations we introduce, combined with the values we uphold, such as ethics, respect and trust for employees and customers, and positive relationships with distributors, will be our strength for years to come.
