Eurostan Uyut CEO: Government should give clear impetuses to businesses amid coronavirus crisis
01.04.2020,
13:53
The interview of Eurostan Uyut CEO Vladimir Ter-Martirosyan with the ARKA and Novosti-Armenia news agencies as part of the #SaveBusiness special project.
YEREVAN, April 1. /ARKA/. The interview of Eurostan Uyut CEO Vladimir Ter-Martirosyan with the ARKA and Novosti-Armenia news agencies as part of the #SaveBusiness special project.
- Today the whole world is united by a single task - to resist the coronovirus. What anticoronavirus actions did your company initiate in these circumstances?
V. Ter-Martirosyan - The history of Eurostan Uyut Company in the Armenian market has more than 25 years. The main focuses of our activity are construction, industry and tourism.
Since the beginning of the year, we have been following the situation that has arisen in China in connection with the outbreak of coronavirus and spreading to a number of other countries, we analyze both the measures taken in these countries and the consequences of the virus for businesses. Our partners in China are in constant contact with us providing first-hand information.
In January-March, this analysis and the passivity inherent in our industry allowed us to prepare ourselves for things as much as possible and develop a clear program of actions to ensure the safety of our employees and customers.
In the first days of March, we already purchased a number of medical masks, gloves, alcohol and respirators as well as a powerful American air disinfection devise to constantly maintain sterility in the customer service room. The device completely disinfects air, destroying all microbes.
The next task is to ensure safety to our employees. From the beginning of March, all risk areas of our company are being intensively disinfected, both by our own efforts and in cooperation with Yerevan Preventive Disinfection CJSC. Those of our employees who are in a vulnerable age group are encouraged to work from home whenever possible.
- How has the activity of Eurostan Uyut changed in Armenia after the spread of coronavirus?
V. Ter-Martirosyan - One of our activity segments, tourism, is completely stopped for obvious reasons.
As of March 15, orders for furniture, doors and windows have been reduced by 50-70%. At the moment, the company has completely stopped its activity for seven days, according to the decision of the Armenian government that bans the economic activities of shopping centers.
- How would you comment on the situation in your area because of the coronavirus? How do you plan to overcome the difficulties?
V. Ter-Martirosyan - At the moment, I find it difficult to answer, since in fact, our activities are prohibited by law. I am sure that after the resumption of work, we will overcome also this crisis. We should not forget that Eurostan Uyut is one of those rare companies that were created in the difficult 1990s, and to this day we have managed to overcome all crises. Our main resource is our personnel, many of whom are participants in the Artsakh war, as well as people whose engineering skills and experience have served for the good of our homeland.
Our employees are professionals who are truly dedicated to their work. I am sure that first of all, thanks to them, we will overcome this crisis. Naturally, it is also planned to use other tools and take measures.
The problem is that in the case of our company, the activity of the construction industry as a whole is essential. We work on orders and if construction stops, I don’t think that something can be done. Perhaps it will become necessary to open a new production or change the activity direction. It all depends on how long this difficult situation will last.
- Do you count on state assistance? What measures could support your business in these conditions?
V. Ter-Martirosyan - The government, like all of us, is fighting against infection. To paraphrase President Kennedy’s famous words, I’ll ask: “What can we do to win this fight, besides staying at home and transferring money to the account to overcome the coronavirus?” As I said earlier, we have a powerful team of professional engineers, installers and other specialists. I assure you that they are all ready to apply their knowledge and experience for the sake of our country.
Regarding the question of what the government can do for business, I want to stress the following: first of all, we need to study the experience of China and have a clear plan of actions; to develop several programs for different stages amid the worsening situation, taking as initial data the number of cases and the pace of the spread of infection. Then it is necessary to present this scheme to organizations so that they too can analyze things and form an idea of their further actions. The government should effectively cooperate with businesses and give them as clear impetuses as possible: laconic and understandable. This cooperation should also be targeted - to inform companies in areas of their rights to work and government assistance.
In general, I think, two stages of government support should be singled out: the crisis itself and the post-crisis period.
For companies such as ours, downtime is unacceptable, because these days, expenses are increasing, and there is absolutely no cash flow. One can welcome the option of tax concessions or tax holidays as well as some compensation for salaries. At the same time, in no case subsidizing the mortgage program should be stopped. We must strive to continue and develop all government programs that demonstrate effectiveness.
Now the most important thing is to overcome this situation as soon as possible, because if it lasts for a long time, neither businesses nor the government will have sufficient resources.
I am convinced that we will overcome everything if we are united, which is in our people’s nature, precisely at such difficult moments. --0—
- Today the whole world is united by a single task - to resist the coronovirus. What anticoronavirus actions did your company initiate in these circumstances?
V. Ter-Martirosyan - The history of Eurostan Uyut Company in the Armenian market has more than 25 years. The main focuses of our activity are construction, industry and tourism.
Since the beginning of the year, we have been following the situation that has arisen in China in connection with the outbreak of coronavirus and spreading to a number of other countries, we analyze both the measures taken in these countries and the consequences of the virus for businesses. Our partners in China are in constant contact with us providing first-hand information.
In January-March, this analysis and the passivity inherent in our industry allowed us to prepare ourselves for things as much as possible and develop a clear program of actions to ensure the safety of our employees and customers.
In the first days of March, we already purchased a number of medical masks, gloves, alcohol and respirators as well as a powerful American air disinfection devise to constantly maintain sterility in the customer service room. The device completely disinfects air, destroying all microbes.
The next task is to ensure safety to our employees. From the beginning of March, all risk areas of our company are being intensively disinfected, both by our own efforts and in cooperation with Yerevan Preventive Disinfection CJSC. Those of our employees who are in a vulnerable age group are encouraged to work from home whenever possible.
- How has the activity of Eurostan Uyut changed in Armenia after the spread of coronavirus?
V. Ter-Martirosyan - One of our activity segments, tourism, is completely stopped for obvious reasons.
As of March 15, orders for furniture, doors and windows have been reduced by 50-70%. At the moment, the company has completely stopped its activity for seven days, according to the decision of the Armenian government that bans the economic activities of shopping centers.
- How would you comment on the situation in your area because of the coronavirus? How do you plan to overcome the difficulties?
V. Ter-Martirosyan - At the moment, I find it difficult to answer, since in fact, our activities are prohibited by law. I am sure that after the resumption of work, we will overcome also this crisis. We should not forget that Eurostan Uyut is one of those rare companies that were created in the difficult 1990s, and to this day we have managed to overcome all crises. Our main resource is our personnel, many of whom are participants in the Artsakh war, as well as people whose engineering skills and experience have served for the good of our homeland.
Our employees are professionals who are truly dedicated to their work. I am sure that first of all, thanks to them, we will overcome this crisis. Naturally, it is also planned to use other tools and take measures.
The problem is that in the case of our company, the activity of the construction industry as a whole is essential. We work on orders and if construction stops, I don’t think that something can be done. Perhaps it will become necessary to open a new production or change the activity direction. It all depends on how long this difficult situation will last.
V. Ter-Martirosyan - The government, like all of us, is fighting against infection. To paraphrase President Kennedy’s famous words, I’ll ask: “What can we do to win this fight, besides staying at home and transferring money to the account to overcome the coronavirus?” As I said earlier, we have a powerful team of professional engineers, installers and other specialists. I assure you that they are all ready to apply their knowledge and experience for the sake of our country.
Regarding the question of what the government can do for business, I want to stress the following: first of all, we need to study the experience of China and have a clear plan of actions; to develop several programs for different stages amid the worsening situation, taking as initial data the number of cases and the pace of the spread of infection. Then it is necessary to present this scheme to organizations so that they too can analyze things and form an idea of their further actions. The government should effectively cooperate with businesses and give them as clear impetuses as possible: laconic and understandable. This cooperation should also be targeted - to inform companies in areas of their rights to work and government assistance.
In general, I think, two stages of government support should be singled out: the crisis itself and the post-crisis period.
For companies such as ours, downtime is unacceptable, because these days, expenses are increasing, and there is absolutely no cash flow. One can welcome the option of tax concessions or tax holidays as well as some compensation for salaries. At the same time, in no case subsidizing the mortgage program should be stopped. We must strive to continue and develop all government programs that demonstrate effectiveness.
Now the most important thing is to overcome this situation as soon as possible, because if it lasts for a long time, neither businesses nor the government will have sufficient resources.
I am convinced that we will overcome everything if we are united, which is in our people’s nature, precisely at such difficult moments. --0—
