Breaking into the Russian market

Breaking into the Russian market has not been easy for Deutsche Werkstätten. After a difficult period between 2006 and 2012 the hard work finally began to pay off for the Moscow subsidiary Deutsche Werkstätten Interior (DWI). DWI has established itself in the Russian capital as a reliable partner for European quality design and interiors. Benjamin Pettermann, Managing Director of DWI, reports that demand is increasing, and business is going well. “We are currently working on a detached private residence and there are other projects on the horizon.“

A new 2300m² production facility was completed in 2018, and the company has acquired an adjoining building and is currently fitting it out for use The workforce has also steadily grown to around 30 employees and new partners are constantly being identified and welcomed on board.

Benjamin Pettermann explains that unlike Germany, Russia does not have a problem with the supply of skilled craftsmen. 'I regularly receive applications from qualified candidates, some of whom speak 4 languages, have studied in Germany and can already work with Auto-CAD. With further in-house training we have the potential to create a valuable and skilled workforce.'

The team in Moscow was boosted by the arrival of Benjamin Pettermann in 2018 who has the perfect background for DWI; university studies in Construction Management and Engineering, a thesis on local authority procedures in the Russian construction industry, followed by 9 years on-site experience with two different construction firms in Moscow.

DWI is now in a good position to deliver not just interiors but complete turn-key construction projects, including construction management. However, with the Russian war against the Ukraine, which the company strongly condemns, there is also a lot of uncertainty. At present, work on the projects can still proceed as planned. It is our aim to continue to process the orders as best we can in future.

Editorial note: This article was published in 2020.