Pavel Eduardovich Melnikov: The path from a small-scale entrepreneur to an absolute market leader
The VALTEC Company led by Pavel Eduardovich Melnikov keeps an undisputable lead on the domestic plumbing engineering market. It serves as an example of successful investments for many areas of business. But the question is how exactly he managed to turn his small importing company into a high-tech giant and example for other entrepreneurs.
First steps on the field of private business running
An idea of starting his own business came to Pavel Melnikov back in the 90’s, when the crisis caused by the USSR collapse affected all spheres of production and trading in Russia.
Being then a simple engineer, he timely estimated the current state and potential of the domestic market of sanitary engineering, and decided to concentrate on its improvement. He started with the most simple, common, and optimal for the current economic situation model of trading which was coming down to import of plumbing products from Italy to Russia, the more it was helped by the newly opened borders.
But, of course, what perfectly fits for one economic period, may not meet conditions of another. So, market development’s logic soon led Pavel Eduardovich Melnikovl to the idea of starting the production of his own plumbing products and accessories, especially since it turned out that imported sanitary engineering did not fully correspond to the realities of their installation and use in domestic water supply systems along with their poor water quality, different temperature conditions, reduced water pressure and other features typical for them.
Pavel Eduardovich Melnikov personal recipe for success
Since its appearance, VALTEC was conceived by its creator as a consumer friendly brand successfully uniting affordable prices with the highest quality of products. A satisfied customer was and remains the main goal subordinating all levels of company’s organization and work, including
- products quality tests, performed in the company’s own laboratory
- personnel, regularly trained to improve their skills of communication, customer service and product knowledge
- principles of mark-up forming
- constant availability and wide online presence of the company
VALTEC was founded in Italy, in the neighborhood of the European highest-class quality sanitary engineering products; but later its range was seriously revised, i.e. adapted for use in domestic water supply systems and expanded due to Pavel Eduardovich Melnikov’s own inventions.
As a brilliant engineer, he developed and patented over a hundred inventions which subsequently formed the basis of the VALTEC brand. Now, its products are manufactured in several countries including Italy, Turkey, Germany, Spain, and China. Moreover, to facilitate control over all stages of their production, it was strictly differentiated. In particular, complex units and details of plumbing systems are produced in Italy only, and prefabricated structures are made basically in factories located in Eastern Europe. Plus, before getting on the shelves of VALTEC’s chain of stores, all of them pass a centralized and well-functioning quality control system.
That is why the warranty period for products of this trademark constantly enlarges. It already reaches 10 years (or even 15 years for some positions). VALTEC is trusted by customers of more than 10 thousand brand stores around the world; and Pavel Eduardovich Melnikov himself is not going to stop at the tops his business already reached. His immediate plans include opening new factories in Serbia and participation in several sponsorship programs in the commercial construction field.