'BIZNES meble.pl' international edition 2/2018

chillout X proğle 92 BIZNES meble.pl [ international edition 2/2018 f a global trend, but I will not change my mind – I have always said and will repeat that there must be compatibility: high quality furniture with high quality acces- sories. In low-quality furniture – it is obvi- ous – there is no point in putting quality accessories, since the life span of these fur- niture is determined by the warranty pe- riod. I do not like the fact that there is fur- niture on the market for tens of thousands of zlotys in which the manufacturer uses the cheapest accessories. Alternatively, the manufacturer of such furniture may leave the choice: ‘I have a gas spring for 4 PLN, which can last 2 years and can last a day, but I also have a Vapsint spring, which has a lifetime guarantee, but it has to be paid 20 PLN for. Let the client make a decision and then has no grudge, because it was their chose – he argues. FAMILY BUSINESS The mysterious word AMI in the name of the company is obviously an abbreviation, although its meaning has changed several times. Initially, it was to be an abbreviation of ‘Andrzej and Maciej Import’ (but the daughter joined the company), later ‘Akcesoria Meblowe Import’ (‘Furniture Accessories Import’) appeared. But this ‘Import’ does not show the most important issue, namely the di- rection. Import from where? From Asia? From Germany? The abbreviation AMI should therefore be read as follows: Acces- sori Mobili Italiani, i.e. Italian Furniture Accessories. This name describes what the company actually does best, that is, sells Italian furniture accessories – explains Andrzej Nowicki. It would seem that a quarter of a century of selling Italian accessories is enough motivation to become fluent in the Italian language. Nothing more wrong. When I was setting up a company I did not speak Italian and now I do not speak it either. Well, after all these years I can get along in Italian, but not in tech- nical matters – there are so many precise, technical phrases in accessories, and it is easy to make a mistake here. The ba- sic language for me is German, anyway in northern Italy, speaking in German is not a problem. And why German? It was also ‘fault’ of aforementioned Dr. Moggio from Salice, who actually spent most of his time in Germany and said he would pre- fer to talk to me in German rather than in Italian. This way, my technical German deepened, but unfortunately it was at the expense of learning the Italian language. However, none of the companies I work with has ever demanded that I speak Ital- ian – everyone knew German everywhere – says Andrzej Nowicki. The company is already 25 years old, its founder turned 65 and is – as he says – basically a pensioner. Today, AMI Pol- ska is a family company, in which, apart from Andrzej Nowicki, shareholders are children – Monika and Maciek. To some extent that also explains why I did not master the Italian language: Monika speaks German and English perfectly, and Maciek speaks Italian fluently – and chil- dren deal with most matters in our inter- national relations now – he says. AMI Polska is a small company. A dozen or so people who work in it. Thanks to the computerization of many processes it is enough, especially that the company does not have any retail sales. As Maciej Nowicki stresses in compari- son to other sellers of furniture acces- sories in Poland, AMI Polska is unusual. All large producers sell in Poland through their daughter companies. Our suppliers also created their own subsidiaries in most markets. However, we are one of the few independent sellers in the world, and in the case of Salice or Camar also one of the oldest in terms of period of cooperation in history – he explains. Dozens of years of work and retire- ment age have made the word ‘succes- sion’ more and more popular in conver- sations within the Nowicki family. I tell my children every day that I will leave soon and they laugh at me every day – smiles Andrzej Nowicki. This will not happen, even our own suppliers say that – Monika Nowicka has no doubts. I will continue to be the president of the company, of course retired. I retired in July, when the company celebrated the 25th anniversary. But I will work in the company until my health allows. I like my job, I can not imagine sitting at home. My passion – thanks to Monika – is swimming and cycling, which I often commute and I return from work – and it is 20 kilometres in each direction! Many of my friends look at me enviously when I go to Italy, because driving to Italy and talking to Italians is pure pleasure for me, just like the views or evening dinners to- gether. I am a living example of how you can combine work and pleasure. I never say that I am going to Italy to do noth- ing, because it would be against my na- ture. But I am very happy to learn about this real Italy – new food, new wine, new places. Because you are successful when work is pleasure – ends Andrzej No- wicki. d Maciej Nowicki receives award for popularizing Polish wines. Andrzej Nowicki with children on the ‘Polish oktoberfest’. Maciej Nowicki and Piergiorgio Pagotto, owner ofVapsint, ‘Furnica 2015’.