{"id":42202,"date":"2026-10-14T15:12:55","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T13:12:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/?p=42202"},"modified":"2026-10-14T15:13:01","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T13:13:01","slug":"relationships-built-on-long-term-trust-and-a-reputation-for-technological-excellence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/relationships-built-on-long-term-trust-and-a-reputation-for-technological-excellence\/","title":{"rendered":"Relationships built on long-term trust and a reputation for technological excellence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1. History of the company at a glance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Company  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sofersk.sk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SOFER, s. r. o. <\/a>, was entered in the Commercial Register of the Slovak Republic on September 4, 2008. It is a typical and successful family business founded by entrepreneur J\u00e1n Soleck\u00fd (currently the 100% owner).  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The entire family is involved in running the company: his wife Gabriela heads the finance department, his son Dami\u00e1n serves as chief engineer, his son D\u00e1vid oversees design and control systems, and his son Luk\u00e1\u0161 is in charge of IT systems.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The company started out as a small operation focused on basic welding of metal products. It gradually invested in technology (e.g., a major purchase of 5-axis CNC machining centers worth over 2 million euros made after 2016) and transformed itself into a modern engineering company capable of supplying complete, complex machines. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2. When, why, and with which product did you begin considering expansion into foreign markets? What are the specific characteristics of those markets? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The expansion took place gradually as the company\u2019s technology advanced. A key milestone was the ability to transition from subcontracting (simple welded components) to the final production of complex, high-value-added machines. Since the Slovak market is too small for such a specialized segment, nearly all of the company\u2019s production (approximately 100%) is now exported.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our export portfolio consists of complete machines\u2014primarily waste, rock, and iron crushers. We are also beginning to manufacture our own product, the SHARK crusher. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Germany and Austria are the company\u2019s traditional target markets. However, the company has also successfully expanded into global markets; it has been exporting waste shredders to the Netherlands for a long time and has even shipped its products as far as India and Brazil. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More distant markets (Brazil, India) require complex logistics and compliance with strict international technical standards, but they have brought the company massive growth and prestige, culminating in the \u201cExporter of the Year 2025\u201d award.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. What obstacles do you most often encounter when exporting?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Given the nature of mechanical engineering production and the company&#8217;s economic indicators, the main obstacles are:<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Logistics and Transportation:<\/strong> Transporting oversized and heavy machinery (such as crushers and machine components) to overseas countries (Brazil, India) is extremely challenging, both financially and logistically.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Long payment terms and tied-up capital:<\/strong> Given the demanding and complex technological nature of our manufacturing projects\u2014which take 6 to 12 months from order placement through production to shipment\u2014we must manage our cash flow to ensure we can meet our obligations. EXIMBANKA SR assists us in this regard. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to economic data for 2024, the company\u2019s accounts receivable turnover period is as long as 192 days, and its accounts payable turnover period is 261 days. In international trade, the company thus faces long wait times for payments from foreign customers, which places high demands on cash flow management. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>4. How do you assess the competition in international markets and how do you differentiate yourself from it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Amid fierce global competition (particularly from Asia and Western Europe), SOFER stands out for its comprehensiveness and flexibility. The company states that it is capable of handling the entire process under one roof\u2014from technical design, through CNC machining, welding, and the installation of control systems, all the way to the final product. The ability to deliver high-tech turnkey machines in a flexible, family-run environment gives them an advantage over rigid corporations.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>5. How have your export activities changed in recent years, especially with regard to economic and geopolitical challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Recent years have brought the company a turbulent yet essentially positive trajectory, as confirmed by the financial data:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>2020\u20132022: Revenue remained stable at around 2.6 to 3.2 million euros.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2024 (Rising Star of the Year): The company experienced a massive surge in growth, with its revenue soaring to 5.088 million euros (nearly double that of the previous year).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is interesting to note, however, that net income for 2024 fell to \u20ac6,870 (a year-over-year decline of 34%). This disparity between massive revenue and low net income clearly reflects rising input costs (steel, energy) and high investments associated with expansion during a period of inflationary crisis. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>6. How do you manage export-related risks?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When managing political and commercial risks (especially for shipments outside the EU), partnerships with government institutions play a key role for the company. For SOFER, Eximbanka serves as a guarantor of success and a partner in hedging international risks, helping Slovak exporters safely overcome geopolitical barriers, finance exports, and insure receivables from foreign partners. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>7. Do you have any partnerships with locals in foreign markets? How do you choose foreign partners? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SOFER bases its international relationships on building long-term trust and a reputation for technological excellence. When supplying <a>complex technological systems<\/a> (e.g., to the Netherlands or Austria), the company either acts as a direct partner to industry leaders or supplies technology through trusted local distributors who handle final integration and service in the respective territory. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>8. Tell us about an interesting situation from your export history.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A well-known moment in the company\u2019s history occurred during a period of global economic turmoil (a crisis). At that time, the company faced an acute risk of losing orders. However, it responded with exceptional flexibility \u2014during that critical period, it managed to completely overhaul its production program, adapt to new market demands, and, as a result, maintain business continuity and employment so that it could later return to pure engineering at full strength.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>9. What would you recommend to Slovak entrepreneurs who are just about to expand abroad?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using the success story of SOFER as an example, we can offer three main pieces of advice to aspiring exporters:<\/p>\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Focus on the final product with added value:<\/strong> Don&#8217;t get bogged down in low-margin subcontracting. The path to success lies in manufacturing your own finished machine or equipment. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Don&#8217;t be afraid to invest in technology:<\/strong> Without state-of-the-art equipment (such as 5-axis CNC machines), it is impossible to compete in the markets of Germany or Western Europe.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Take Advantage of Support Tools:<\/strong> When expanding outside the EU, minimize risks with the help of institutions such as Eximbanka.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>10. What makes a good leader?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">J\u00e1n Soleck\u00fd&#8217;s story shows that the qualities of a good leader in a family business rest on three pillars:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Courage and Vision:<\/strong> The ability to transform a small regional welding shop in Star\u00e1 \u013dubov\u0148a into a global exporter that ships waste shredders across the ocean.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Resilience in Times of Crisis:<\/strong> He managed to keep the company afloat by flexibly shifting its focus during difficult times.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ability to transfer know-how and delegate:<\/strong> I have successfully integrated my children into key management and engineering positions (IT, technology, design), thereby ensuring the long-term sustainability and stability of the company.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thank you for the interesting interview.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/lukasklco\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Luk\u00e1\u0161 Kl\u010do<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SOFER, s. r. o., based in Star\u00e1 \u013dubov\u0148a, began as a small operation focused on basic welding of metal products. It has gradually transformed into a modern engineering company capable of supplying complex machinery, particularly waste, stone, and iron crushers. Nearly all of the company\u2019s current production is now destined for export.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":42198,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[171,1004],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42202","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-interviews-and-presentations-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42202","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42202"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42202\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42207,"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42202\/revisions\/42207"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42198"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42202"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42202"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}