We spoke to Mr. Linas Orvydas, Sales Manager of Rekyva, to share how EUROPAGES has helped their export strategy and gain international ground.
Tell us a little about the history of Rekyva – How did you become such a successful company?
Rekyva was established in 1947, harvesting peat in the peat bog by Lake Rėkyva as early as 1923. About 8 years ago our shareholders changed and a whole new online marketing strategy was born. Our main aim was to sell to as many countries as possible, which meant that our efforts had to concentrate on exporting actions. The new business model was a great success, this success was due to a combination of working with local partners and creating an ally with EUROPAGES. EUROPAGES gives us an extensive international reach thanks to the content being translated into 15 languages.
What kind of products do you offer?
We offer almost 2500 products, a true niche in the international peat and compost market for professional growers. These products are not commercialized simultaneously, our clients have very specific demands and we manufacture products specially to meet these needs. As a horticulture company, we sell to flower growers, vegetable growers and landscaping professionals. Exports depend on the country’s habits; each area even has their particular habits. Seasons play a major role in production and demand. Because of this vast range of target groups per country, we don’t opt for specific marketing, we opt for a wider, more general marketing- mix.
What do your customers particularly like about Rekyva?
Our customers (growers) are looking for high quality assurance and stability. We strive to constantly meet their needs and retain their loyalty.
What role do the European and international markets have on your business growth?
In some regions Rekyva is one of the top 5 peat sellers. However this can change from one year to the next. In our business, demand is directly or indirectly dependent on weather conditions, which can lead to surplus stock or on the other hand, shortages or lost sales. Although managers constantly work towards taking advantage of this complex situation, it is a real challenge forecasting sales growth from year to year.
What is your vision for global growth?
If all goes according to plan, we are hoping to grow by 20%. We are targeting more and more countries in the world which should naturally boost turnover.
What was the reason for having a company profile on Visable (EUROPAGES & “Wer liefert was”)?
This partnership was necessary to do business and conquer new countries even not necessarily speaking their language.
Has your presence on Visable (EUROPAGES/wlw) been successful and what was your return on investment?
Most of our new business/clients come from queries on the Internet or on our website. EUROPAGES plays a key role in our online marketing actions. We have really felt the difference in turnover in the past 3 years of working together, thanks to EUROPAGES, we have gained some important new clients. So the return is well worth the investment. It is a pleasure working with EUROPAGES and we are excited to continue our partnership in the future.
Would you recommend Visable?
I would highly recommend EUROPAGES/Visable for their wide range of services tailored for our very specific line of business and our aim to expand our online visibility and export to as many countries as possible. I cannot help mentioning that our distributors in Lithuania know your platform too and helped us extensively to set-up our company profile on EUROPAGES.
What advice would you give ambitious Lithuanian companies wanting to export?
Ambitious Lithuanian companies should include EUROPAGES in their online strategy, it is important to maintain a profile page on the platform over a medium to long-term period in order to feel the difference in sales.
