Andrei Mezhinsky, "Pridnestrovie has great potential for the development of light industry"

Light industry occupies an important place in the national economy, and other sectors of the economy largely depend on its successful development. We are talking with Andrey Mezhinsky on the eve of the professional holiday - the Day of the Light Industry Worker.

- Andrey Viktorovich, a question about current state to you as a deputy of the Committee on economic policy, budget and finance of the Supreme Council of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic and as the general director of the largest industrial enterprise in the industry sector.

- The light industry of Pridnestrovie plays a significant role in the issues of import substitution and saturation of the domestic market with quality products. This is important in today's realities, as well as the fact that Pridnestrovie continues to export its products to foreign markets and thereby replenish the budget of the republic. Our industry consists of dozens of enterprises employing thousands of specialists. The geography of deliveries of domestic manufacturers is wide, that indicates a stable demand for our products, of course. This is not surprising. Speaking about the most recognizable domestic brands, I cannot fail to mention such enterprises as Intercentrlux, Floare, Odema, Softshoes, and Tirotex that needs no special introduction, of course. As the director, I constantly receive warm feedback about our products from international partners, who, despite the prevailing circumstances, continue to place orders for production. Tirotex is loved for quality, safety, a wide product range and the advantage of the supply chain. And we reciprocate and try not to disappoint customers.

– How do you do it? External circumstances did not affect production activities?

- Yes, the situation is more difficult today, to put it mildly, but it did not take a dramatic turn only thanks to our highly professional team of managers and specialists of the enterprise. We have faced various challenges over the past years, but each time I am more and more convinced that by uniting, we only become stronger. You can do everything and even more working as a team. That is why everyone is able to do what at first seemed impossible every time, taking responsibility. There is not enough time to mention all the trials we have endured, but the main ones I would include the following. The first is the rise in the price of the main raw materials with which we work. The price of cotton has increased by more than 2.5 times over the past year. Secondly, the rise in the cost of energy carriers affected the price of chemicals, fittings, spare parts and components. In some cases, the price has increased more than 4 times. Thirdly, the final cost of our products was also affected by logistics, when supply chains were disrupted and transportation tariffs increased. Finally, fourthly, due to the rise in the cost of products and in order to avoid losses in order volumes, we had to face difficulties in producing a product without loss of quality at an affordable price, but it is precisely for quality that Tirotex is chosen in the international market.

- Please, reveal the secret of how you did it.

- The service of the chief technologist offers an improved product with minimal costs for the use of chemistry. The quality system management controls the output of products more strictly. The design department balances between classics and bold modern creative ideas and so on. As I said, the secret of success lies in well-coordinated teamwork. The merit is that today we are all in the ranks, absolutely every member of our friendly team. I have to admit it's hard. In addition, it is difficult to produce a modern product on obsolete equipment, therefore, despite external circumstances, we continue to finance the technical re-equipment program. For example, we recently purchased a new drying and spreading line, which allows us to fix the fabric exactly in width before cutting the fabric. Additional advantages of our acquisition include not only the high speed of fabric release, but also its simultaneous impregnation with additional coatings – dressings.

- And the final question. What are the prospects for the development of light industry?

- Taking into consideration the situation, this question remains open for now, but I can say for sure that Pridnestrovie has great potential for the development of the industry. The enterprises pay special attention to the training of specialists in accordance with the requirements of the labor market, they have trained engineering and technical personnel, modern production sites are equipped according to world standards. You just need to be able to continue your activities unhindered. It is necessary for this to provide ourselves with raw materials in a timely manner and ship finished products to partners.

– Thank you for the conversation!