JK Timber: state support gives you a free hand for development
JK Timber is a company based in Latgale specialising in the design, manufacture, delivery, and installation of roof trusses, while also developing solutions for wall framing and other wooden structures. The company’s main clients are private home builders, though it also works with corporate clients. In the future, the company plans to strengthen its position in Latvia, gradually expand exports in the Baltics, and simultaneously seek solutions to ensure more stable year-round operations by mitigating seasonal fluctuations in the construction industry.
The Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) has supported the company’s development from the very beginning—the company’s founder and owner Kārlis Vanags, following the recommendation of a representative from the regional development organisation “Ziemeļlatgales partnerība,” applied for the pre-incubation programme. As he himself admits, his previous experience in entrepreneurship was very limited, so this phase helped him better understand the basics of business and get the initial processes in order.
“At first, there was only an idea about a market niche where the company could operate. But I can honestly say that I had no prior experience in business, and I had never done anything like this before. At the time, Ieva Leišavniece from “Ziemeļlatgales partnerība” told me about the pre-incubation programme. At first, I was quite sceptical because it seemed there simply wouldn’t be enough time. But now I can say that it was one of the best decisions, as it helped me understand the basics of business and gave me the necessary confidence that we were heading in the right direction,” he says.
After completing this programme, the company also joined the business incubation programme at the LIAA office in Rēzekne, which has provided the company with both practical and financial support—ranging from various types of training and consultations to co-financing for raw materials, marketing activities, and production facility development. “It’s not just funding—it’s also human support and the opportunity to get advice at any time. If there are questions, there’s always someone to call. It doesn’t feel like dealing with a government agency, but rather like a conversation with partners,” the entrepreneur emphasises.
He adds that it is precisely this support that has allowed the company to grow faster than it would have been able to do on its own: “A new company often has its hands tied at the beginning—there is a lack of both resources and knowledge. LIAA’s support helps free up those hands and focus on growth. Without this support, our development certainly wouldn’t be as rapid.”
Information material prepared with the support of the European Regional Development Fund
