With funding from the European Union under the EU4Business initiative and Sweden, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) helped Gofrobum, a woman-led manufacturer of paper and corrugated packaging from Belarus, to redevelop the company’s website and increase their client base by 39%.
The EBRD helped Gofrobum redevelop its website and broaden the scope of their marketing instruments, increasing productivity by 127% and expanding their client base by 39%.
Well-established in Belarus, Gofrobum produces a wide range of paper products (check and cash register tape, various formats of printer paper, paper for plotters, paper for ATMs and fax machines, note paper, etc.) and corrugated packaging. All of its products are sold on the domestic market. Gofrobum’s advanced equipment allows them to manufacture packaging of any complexity or form using three and five layered cardboard. It also allows for three colour flexographic printing on corrugated cardboard products.
When Gofrobum approached the EBRD, the company had already drafted a strategic growth plan to attract new clients. This plan included developing a corporate website as one of the company’s priority objectives for the year. The EBRD helped Gofrobum to identify a marketing consultant who:
- Developed and designed the website interface;
- Developed a catalogue of the company’s products;
- Drafted content for the website’s company information, news and available vacancies pages; and
- Gathered feedback from customers and developed a FAQ page.
As a result, the company increased its number of loyal customers from 180 to 250 per month (+39%), given that about 40% of them reached the company through their new website. Gofrobum also increased turnover by 14% and productivity by 127% by the end of the project.
The EBRD extended its support to Gofrobum through a Business Coaching project, which addressed several areas for improvement in a longer timeframe than standard task-specific advisory projects. Following a diagnostic assessment, the areas of sales and marketing and staff and strategy were identified as key areas for improvement. As a result of the coaching project, Gofrobum increased its strategic vision, broadened the scope of their marketing instruments and increased customer loyalty.
Additionally, after the project’s completion, the company successfully secured a loan from a partner bank for further business development, effectively giving Gofrobum a chance to get a top up finance under the Women in Business programme. The company’s managers are active participants in Women in Business training and networking events and plan to continue to be involved in such events in the future.
Total project value
€18 733
Client contribution
€4 820
