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Born out of the mattress business.
We visited the company located in the Jonava district on the morning of a business day. It is true that anyone visiting here would probably understand in the first few seconds what company they came to and what they are doing.
Just by opening the front door and entering the interior it is impossible not to notice the shelves that separate from the wide range of clean products produced and imported here. In front of the eyes: multi-colored sponges, blue, green and pink cloths, brooms, metal sponges and other products.
The company owners are Algis and Aušra Šlapeliai, who just invite you to sit in a small conference room by the way, which, by the way, is also rich in exemplary products, and says they will tell you how their company works. Admittedly, there is a large map hanging on the wall here, so when asked if they like to travel, the family laughs that they like to travel and export.
Algis says the company is engaged in the production and wholesale of sponges, scouring pads and foam cloths. It manufactures products on special request and is also a representative of the Spontex brand, dedicated to the production and sale of these products.
When asked how he managed to start such a business in the Jonava district, Algis smiles and begins the story from afar.
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“Initially, the company” Lonas “was known in Lithuania, they produced mattresses and in 2000 they decided to expand their activities.
There were remnants of the mattress on the mattresses and it was thought where to sell them. It was conceived that it was necessary to start making sponges and to establish a separate production unit.
Later it was decided to sell that sponge unit, it was acquired by another person and the companies separated. In 2009, the then manager invited me to work together, in charge of sales. Later, in 2012, he died and his daughter took over the management of the business, “he leads for a short time in history.
He explains that this company fell into the hands of Algis when he and another colleague founded another company in Estonia, which then bought Tokė. It is true that when he and his colleague Algis acquired the company, its production facilities in the Jonava district already existed, but he calls this place strategically very good.
His wife Aušra also says that the family does not live in Jonava, but in Vilnius, but the company also has a small office in the capital.
“Production is done here,” he explains, but says he is often asked if the company does not plan to move production facilities to the capital.
“It just came to our attention then. And the costs here for the others and the staff … I don’t think it makes sense because here it is strategically better. Furthermore, Kaunas is here,” agrees Algis.
It produces 12 million per year. units
The family business currently has 36 employees. Some of them, as complemented by Aušra, have been working here for over 20 years.
“We have more than 400 products, the annual turnover is more than 3 million. EUR. We produce more than 12 million units per year, and around 50,000 per day.” Algis is also aware of the company’s production, and When asked about the number of trucks per week, he estimates that eight of them left the warehouse last week, but the average would be about five.
He also mentions that the company also produces cleaning products for clients such as Maxima, Iki, Norfa, Promo Sanitex. In total, they have 70 different clients.
“We also supply products to companies that distribute certain products and work as distributors abroad,” explains Algis.
In general, Jonava’s products are exported to almost all of Europe, and the most distant point is Tajikistan.
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“England, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Portugal,” said the chief of several other names.
When asked if his company really is one of the largest cleaning companies in the Baltic, according to its website, Algis has no doubt.
“It just came to our attention then. We are one of the Estonian companies we work with, but they only supply products to the Estonian market,” he explains.
Algis specifies that around 50 percent. Today, the production company is busy producing Spontex brand products, and the remaining 50 percent. – private label of other brands.
“2010 Spontex was established in 2006, initially we only bought raw materials from them, and now we produce products under their brand and sell them abroad.
Suppose we produce here and export to the Czech Republic, from where they are distributed in other countries. Meanwhile, we bring brooms, gloves, etc. from the Czech Republic and we distribute them ”, he explains.
The company has also created its own brand, but according to Algis, it doesn’t advertise it too much.
“It is more for those retail chains or buyers who do not have their own brand.
Now go with a brand, when we represent Spontex more, there is already competition here, “says Algis, admitting that it is simply more profitable for a company to produce and distribute a well-known brand at this time.
Aim to reduce product production costs.
After the interview, the businessman invites you to take a look at his production facilities and warehouses. Upon entering, you can see women working on special equipment, stacked bags of colored sponges, and ready-to-use material for production.
Speaking of employees in general, Algis explains that finding people who want to work today is not difficult.
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“We try to motivate them, there really isn’t a big change.”
Where more people are needed, it is in production. Of course, everything happens, but it is important for us to have a similar attitude and values, ”says Aušra.
Algis says his company’s employees earn about 1.2 thousand. tax free, and those who want to earn extra are always invited to work overtime too.
When it comes to competition in the market for the production of clean goods, it’s huge, according to the manager.
“There is Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Poland. We want to buy additional equipment to make production of the product cheaper, so that we can win, compete in those tenders that we cannot win now because we are offering too much.
We have 2-3 people waiting in line, and in Serbia there is only one person, in Italy there are robots at all, ”he says as he walks through the production facilities.
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