“We have been operating in Serbia for 16 years and are currently present at three locations: our headquarters in Nova Pazova; our showroom in New Belgrade; and our distribution centre in Niš” ~ Melanija Pavlović
The JAF Group’s strategy is to expand its operations across existing markets and penetrate new ones, reveals Melanija Pavlović, who head the group’s Serbian branch. Speaking in this interview, she shares not only plans for the future, but also insights into the company’s business policy, product range and services offered, as well as its continuing cooperation with the Austrian Embassy and its trade department.
You officially opened your long-awaited second distribution centre in Serbia, this time in the south, in Niš, at the beginning of October. What does this mean for you, as a company, and for your customers and partners?
— JAF has opened its second distribution centre in Serbia, following the first in 2008, in Nova Pazova, and the showroom in New Belgrade, which opened in 2019.
This confirms the JAF Group’s strategy of regional expansion and continuous investment in Serbia. The distribution centre and multifunctional showroom in Niš officially opened on 4th October. Niš now boasts a modern, multifunctional space in the city’s industrial zone located near the highway.
The excellent and longstanding cooperation that we have with the Austrian Embassy in Serbia and its trade department (Advantage Austria) is reflected in numerous completed projects, including our collaboration on the dual education project, which has been ongoing for several years.
Our longstanding stable position, sound business practices, wide product range and motto all make us a recognised name on the market.
The Austrian Embassy once again supported our company in this important step, and the ribbon at the grand opening ceremony of the new space in Niš was cut by Jürgen Schröder, Trade Counsellor of the Austrian Embassy in Belgrade, and myself, in the presence of numerous officials, customers and partners from Serbia and abroad.
Do you believe that the new distribution centre testifies to the advancing of JAF Serbia’s strategy of regional expansion and its motto “Always Close to Customers and Partners”?
— JAF Serbia is one of the top five importers and distributors of wood-based materials and products, as well as the largest European trader of wood and panel materials. Our longstanding stable position, sound business practices, wide product range and motto all make us a recognised name on the market. We certainly plan to open several new locations in the near future, in order to truly be closer to our partners and customers across Serbia. The JAF Group’s strategy is to expand its business on existing markets and develop to penetrate new ones.
We also offer services through our processing centres. A modern processing centre for cutting, edging and processing panel materials and veneers complements our market offer in Serbia. We offer a complete range of panel materials and wood products for the furniture industry and construction sector. We are particularly well-known for our high-quality wood veneers, but also as distributors of Austria’s “Kaindl” brand of panel materials. Our product range includes MDF, plywood, flooring and wall coverings, parquet, laminates, Corian panels, compact panels for facades and interiors, sanitary cabins and kitchens by ASD. A wide range of decors and an innovative approach are certainly what set us apart from the competition.
Serbia is the only Western Balkan country to receive an investment-grade credit rating. Do you think this will bring new investments from the EU and Austria?
— Market stability and favourable conditions certainly send an important message to foreign investors. Investors always go where the conditions for capital placement are most favourable. We have been operating in Serbia for 16 years and the opening of our second distribution centre demonstrates our intent to expand our business on this market through constant investments.