UAB “Textilis”, a manufacturing and trading company that has been operating for 17 years, is still feeling the painful consequences of both the pandemic and Lithuania’s joint cooperation with Belarus and China. According to the company’s director Janina Malakauskienė, quarantines and other restricting measures applied to businesses have become only an addition to the general policy in recent years.

“We have made and are making every effort to maintain our existing staff and long-term business. Our foreign partners closed during the quarantine period, some were no longer able to re-open and went bankrupt. As a result, we have been forced to put workers on downtime for some time, to take out preferential working capital loans.

Quarantine was not easy for anyone, but Lithuania’s deteriorating relations with Belarus and China were an even bigger blow to us. At the moment, it is not easy for the company, because a large part of our production went to Belarus. Meanwhile, we bought raw materials from China. Raw materials and their transportation have become significantly more expensive, and due to the existing agreements with customers, we cannot change our base price. The future situation with these countries is also unclear, so we are constantly looking for new ways to transport the necessary raw materials, possibly through other countries. In addition, we are intensively looking for customers from other markets”, – says J. Malakauskienė.

To an exhibition – after a one year break

Representatives of the company are preparing to go to an exhibition in Germany, where they will present their new collection. During the quarantine period, UAB “Textilis” acquired new equipment, continued the existing and even started to carry out new European projects, developed products using new finishes.

“In Germany, we will present our products and try to establish relationships with potential customers. Currently, we work most intensively with clients from Belarus (private companies), Germany, Scandinavia, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the Baltic States. Although the second half of this year is better financially, the situation is far from very good.

We understand that many things are beyond our control, and most light industry companies are currently facing similar challenges, so we are trying to find new ways to survive in the market. Both we and other companies cannot give up. All countries have been hit hard by the economic problems caused by the health crisis. I think that the light industry business will return to the pre-pandemic situation, but certainly not soon”, – says J. Malakauskienė.

There have been illnesses in the company during the pandemic year, but it is gratifying that mass infections have been avoided.