BEST IN LITHUANIA #19

Lietuvos pramoninink킬 konfederacija Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists

Nr. 19 2012

Lithuanian building sector

Magazine about business, science and culture leaders in Lithuania

www.BESTinLT.lt

Eternal values

Lithuanian furniture manufacture company since 1931 www.venta.lt

Dear readers, You are holding in your hand the publication devoted to the largest International Trade Fair for Architecture and Building Materials BAU in Europe held in Munich every two years. This year the show is exceptional because it is being held for the 20th time. Most probably it is for this reason that its participants are extraordinary European companies of the building industry, and architectural solutions presented at the show surprise its visitors by innovations, economy and eco-friendliness.

take notice of him – a Lithuanian will never offer you products of poor quality.

Good results of the performance of the sector testify to the fact that this production is recovering. At the beginning of 2012, in its first quarter, as compared with the same period last year, export of building services increased by 52.7 per cent, or 26,6 million litas.

Photo by Jonas Žiburkus

This show is going to set certain “fashions” in building and architecture. This is an excellent opportunity for Lithuanian companies to demonstrate the best examples of their activity.

And they really have what to boast about: it is not a secret that masters with hands of gold and builders of highest qualification are in great demand in the European Union. Lithuanian products are associated with innovations and high quality. Lithuania can take pride not only in building companies of a high professional level but also in the companies manufacturing furniture and windows. Having stood the test of time and the merciless economic crisis they are extending their activities to enter foreign markets. Hence, if you happen to encounter a supplier of services or products from our country,

The neighbouring Scandinavian market was the first to become convinced of good production of Lithuanian manufacturers. It was in Scandinavia that building industry in particular, which shrank almost by half during the economic crisis, started looking for new markets. Therefore export of building services to those markets increased from 70 million litas in 2010 to 104 million litas in 2011. Today the largest amount of products is exported to the markets of Norway and Sweden. In the first quarter of 2012, export of building services accounted for about 88 per cent of total export of building services. Another important trading partner is Germany. In the first quarter of 2012 export to this country, as compared to the same period last year, increased by 7.5 million litas.

On the whole, experts call the year 2012 the year of recovery of this field.

Yours sincerely, Editorial Staff of the Best in Lithuania

Magazine „Best in Lithuania“ Nr. 19, 2012 Address: Linoleum design UAB M.Mažvydo str. 9-19, LT-06256 Vilnius Tel. +370 615 83361. E-mail: rimvidas@bestinlt.lt www.bestinlt.lt The editorial office is not responsible for the contens of advertisements

Editor Advertising manager Writers Designer

Rimvidas Stankevičius Gediminas Miškinis Jūratė Mockuvienė Lina Šiškutė | 3

Cover: hall of office center 1000 in Kaunas city (Taikos ave. 88A). Architect Rimas Adomaitis

Content

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Perspectives of cooperation between Lithuania and Germany in the building sector Ernestas Mickus, Minister Counsellor of the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Germany

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Artūras Zuokas, the Mayor of Vilnius: “the capital of Lithuania - the best investment-ready city”

Perspectives of cooperation between Lithuania and Germany in the building sector German-Baltic Chamber of Commerce in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

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Lithuanian economy: resilient export and recovering domestic demand Aleksandr Izgorodin, Analyst of Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists

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Construction company Mitnija offers solutions for the future

Complex of entertainment landscape in Lithuania Land Management Center of Kaunas University of Technology

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AD REM

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Bitumen shingles SHINGLAS – excellent quality and performance guaranteed by a reliable producer Mida LT UAB

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Centuries-old traditions of building wooden houses Edvima UAB

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SOLOSERVIS

Lithuanian products: from sauna cubicles to apartment houses Tyla UAB

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GLASTIKA. Glass packages for special windows

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Homes for a better quality of live

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Safety and aesthetics of the highest level

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Specialists on log houses

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KriautÄ— UAB

PietĹł spektras UAB

Tekmega UAB

Quality is the second name of Roda, manufacturer of windows, doors and panel houses

Geotechnical constructions under complex conditions Vilniaus rentinys UAB

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For everyday and leisure

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Beautiful Security For Your Home

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Senojo miesto architektai /Old town architects/

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Languva

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Windows experts

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Lispimeks dangos /Lispimeks coverings/

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EtnoDesign - cosy gifts to inspire

Raska wood UAB

Plieninis skydas UAB

Windex UAB

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Content

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SKP stiklas. Accurate and precise market players

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Tomaldras

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Algimantas Černiauskas’ architecture studio “a&u”

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Do you long for cosy surroundings?

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Jonostata UAB

The partner that has stood the test of time is a “Reliable partner” Aulaukis UAB

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We are creating the future Aldeva UAB

Regional leader in glass business Guartis AB

Log&Timber architecture: harmonious, aesthetic and eco-friendly living Architect Tomas Kupriūnas

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Hand made glass articles Glass magic

A group of artists eager to implement new ideas sjlux

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Jewelry that tells nice stories...

Yurga

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Mummymoon. It‘s businness born together with a baby

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Ceramist Giedrė Bardzilauskė

Perspectives of cooperation between Lithuania and Germany in the building sector

Ernestas Mickus, Minister Counsellor of the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Germany

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ermany is one of Lithuania’s biggest and most important trading partners. Trade between Germany and Lithuania

constitutes almost half a volume of Germany’s trade with all three Baltic States. In 2011, Lithuanian-German trade turnover, as compared with that in 2010, increased by as much as

17.5 per cent. Germany ranks number four according to the amount of foreign direct investments in Lithuania. However, it should be noted that thus far the possibilities available have not been used to the full either by German companies in Lithuania or for Lithuanian business people in Germany. Active interest in business opportunities in the neighbouring countries is lacking. The BAU Munich international building and construction industry show being held is an excellent opportunity for Lithuanian companies to present their products and services, and for German business people to become acquainted with the possibilities in the Lithuanian and neighbouring markets.

There is no need to look for possibilities of closer co-operation anywhere farther. Lithuania seeks to eliminate energy isolation and to join the Western European networks.

Germany has decided to withdraw from nuclear energy and it plans to invest into the development of renewable energy sources. It is only the development of energy infrastructure that will allow the Governments of Lithuania and Germany to achieve these ambitious objectives, and business of both countries should make use of these possibilities.

Renovation of buildings and energetic readjustment in Lithuania is another significant sphere for business people who seek to introduce the latest and most advanced solutions in the building sector. Ecology and energy

saving is one of the most significant criteria of the present-day building sector. Technologies of German companies and quality of work of Lithuanian companies could be the key to success of the joint projects being carried out.

In 2011, Lithuania’s building market increased by one fifth, and the growth up to 15 per cent is expected in 2012.

This is a sign to German companies that it is not necessary to look for potential partners and projects far from home. Cooperation with Lithuanian universities and higher educational institutions, architect and design studios is another sphere where it is possible to expect effective interaction. Lithuanian logistics centres, free economic zones in Klaipėda and Kaunas are an excellent gateway for German goods and services to Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Transcaucasia or Kazakhstan. A purchaser in Germany is interested in exacting piece work of high quality that requires accuracy – Lithuanian companies manufacturing exceptional products could offer that.

The building sector is a constant and reliable indicator of the condition of economics in the country. Lithuania is rapidly and successfully eradicating consequences of the economic crisis and is prepared better than ever for new shocks. German companies value long-term and stable business relationships, high-quality products and services, and this should provide a sound basis for Lithuanian companies to cooperate with Germany.

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Artūras Zuokas, the Mayor of Vilnius:

“the capital of Lithuania the best investment-ready city” Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, is attracting more attention of bigger investors. A. Zuokas, the Mayor of Vilnius, says that the city’s ambition to become a regional leader and the largest building site in the Baltic countries is becoming a reality - investors, such as IKEA or luxury hotel chain Kempinski have already discovered our city and expanded their activities there. The nearest plan of the city is to start first flights of the national air carrier AirLituanica in spring of the next year. We talk about all this with the Mayor of the city Arturas Zuokas.

BiL Capsule of shopping center IKEA was dug in, Comfort Hotel LT, to which Peter A. Stordalen, the owner of the company Nordic Choice Hotels and one of the richest people of Norway flew in a private plane, was opened, Research Centre of Molecular Biology Thermo Fisher Scientific was opened – every year Vilnius attracts more and more attention of major investors?

We have set a specific goal - to become a regional leader in attracting investment.

All the more, we have an excellent infrastructure, population of 15.5 million live in 300 km radius around Vilnius, while the other Baltic cities are concentrating the potential of about 8-10 million people around them.

We take every effort to make our city attractive for investment, for example, IKEA executives say that they are delighted how quickly we are able to respond to their needs: a detailed plan for the shopping center was prepared and 10 ||

approved within 6 months, all works are progressing according to the schedule.

It is difficult to find such analogues in Europe.

From 2004 to 2008 we had the largest construction site in the Baltic countries and across the region - we started development of a new city center, where centers and offices of banks and various businesses are currently moving to. At that time more than 220 million Euros were invested there.

This location is rediscovered by investors – in the exclusive 120-hectare site a 135 million Euros of private investment is expected in the near future, another 30 million Euros will be invested in the infrastructure by the municipality of the capital: it will reconstruct streets, create pedestrian malls, green spaces and squares.

We are ready to do anything to fulfil the investments planned for the coming years that will reach nearly 170 million Euros and will generate 1,000 jobs.

BiL How Vilnius has become so attractive to foreign investors?

This is the city’s attitude towards the investor. In addition, we have all what is necessary for international business: high-quality human resources and we are growing and evolving area that sits between the East and the West.

Furthermore, we can boast the cleanest air and water in Europe and the fastest

Photos by BFL

internet in the world. We also set clear priorities which urban areas have to be developed.

BiL You said that detailed plan for IKEA shopping center that is coming to Vilnius was developed in a record time of six months. How else the municipality contributes to the fact that investors are faced with a minimum of bureaucratic obstacles?

The best municipality’s professionals that treasure time and money of investors are working with the investors and looking for solutions of the arising challenges.

This means that an investor in our city not only knows exactly where to go and what to do when faced with some challenges but also all the issues are dealt with very quickly.

Also, as far as it depends on the decisions of the city council, we are reducing taxes; for example, property tax on hotels is reduced from 0.8 to 0.5 percent.

Are you still looking for a strategic investor for the national air carrier company created by the Vilnius city municipality?

We have already discussed the issue of strategic investments with a few investors and now we are in the stage of negotiations. We also offer to buy individual shares to the cities and businesses of the country and already have 14 signed contracts and a further 20 that are waiting for the signature. We are planning the first flights to London, Moscow, Amsterdam, Brussels and Kiev for the next year.

BiL Development of the competitive urban economic is inseparable from the creation of quality life conditions of the society.

Does it matter to investors?

Investors are looking at the whole. As witnessed by the international research, we have achieved some really Visualization of the planned tunnel and the open space in the New City Center good results in respect of quality of life. international experts we started developFor example, the International Quality of ment of conversion projects, which will Life Index assigned to Vilnius one of the create new solutions for the development best results among the 12 new EU counof this area. tries, and the newspaper The New York Thirdly, we announce investment proTimes in the article “Innovative cities are jects ourselves. Currently we announced a large-scale tender for modernization of thinking, how they work” mentioned Vilthe lighting of the entire city - we want nius amongst the world’s best-managed the city to be lit using energy saving techcities such as Berlin, Barcelona, Cape Town, Copenhagen, Montreal, Santiago, nologies. We develop sports facilities – we are looking for an investor that would Shanghai. Cities were evaluated not only build football stadium satisfying all interby the quality of life but also by how national standards or would renovate a wisely and well they were managed.

The influential American newspaper city pool. We are going to introduce a new noted that Vilnius is led by government mode of transport – a tram, for which we constantly thinking a step forward. will also announce an international tender. It is intended to renew waste recyBiL What are the potential business niches cling sector in the city – building of waste you see in Vilnius; what else could sorting and incineration plants will be attract investor’s attention? tendered.

Therefore, I am really looking forward to meeting you in Vilnius – the best place There are few spaces that attract investfor investments in the region. ments – these are the said new city center and former factory buildings located very www.vilnius.lt close to the Old Town: here, together with || 11

Perspectives of cooperation between Lithuania and Germany in the building sector

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ithin the past two decades the Lithuanian economy experienced a dynamic development. After the declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1990 and during the following process of transformation and privatization new economic structures were established.

The economy of the southern Baltic State grew quickly by rates between 5 and 12 percent yearly. On 1st May 2004 Lithuania joined the European Union. After showing above EU-average growth rates before the economic crisis in 2008 Lithuania experienced severe losses in 2009 and the first months of 2010 – also affecting the construction sector. However, for the past two years a clear upward trend has returned to the Lithuanian economy.

In 2011 the real GDP growth once again amounted to 5.9 percent The European Commission forecasts further growth of 2.4 percent in 2012 and 3.5 percent in 2013. It exceeds the forecast for the EU-27 which lies at 0.0 percent for 2012 and 1.3 percent for 2013.

with their current business situation thus having been able to fulfill their optimistic expectations from the previous year. The expectations for 2012 are slightly more moderate, but only 10 percent of the respondents expect lower profits in 2012 than in 2011. And, last not least, the vast majority of the participants would repeat their investment decisions for their respective location in Lithuania.

Optimism regarding developments in the construction business During the first and second quarter of 2012 the fastest growth in the value added was observed in enterprises engaged in information and communication (7.6 percent), agriculture, forestry and fishing (6.7 percent), real estate activities (4.8 percent), construction (3.8 percent), trade, hotels and restaurants, transportation and storage (3.2 percent).

These ratings are being supported by the assessment of the economic prospects as seen by the German companies in Lithuania. In the business survey of the German-Baltic Chamber of Commerce (AHK) in spring 2012 most of the participating companies in Lithuania rated their business situation as good or at least satisfactory. After already strong growth figures in 2011, 25 percent of the respondents in Lithuania expect a further improvement of the economic situation. The majority assumed that the economic framework remains unchanged in 2012. Only 6 percent expect a negative development. Also, the participants rate the development of their own businesses more positively than the development of the respective sectors for the current year. In Lithuania the mood amongst the companies is especially positive: 60 percent of the respondents are satisfied 12 ||

The construction industry in Lithuania provides various chances for German companies, not only within local construction projects but also with regard to large-scale interregional projects in the Baltic Sea region. An example for such projects that are aiming at the developPhoto:© HeidelbergCement Klaipeda, UAB

While, like in many other countries, the

construction industry was hit by the crisis most severely, it now benefits from an improved situation on the property market in Lithuania. Recovering investment activities led to a rising demand for construction in 2011. Last year building construction grew by 22.7 percent compared to 2010 and civil engineering by 19.8 percent. In the first months of 2012 this dynamism continued, while still being below the 2007/2008 volumes. In first half of 2012 2462 permits were issued for the construction of residential buildings - an increase of 26 percent as compared to the period in 2011. Besides this, the increase of building permits, for example, for health facilities (plus 201.4 percent) and educational facilities (plus 148.7 percent) underline the positive trend.

The cement terminal of “HeidelbergCement Klaipėda” in Klaipėda FEZ

The German HeidelbergCement Group is active in the Baltics since 2003 with cement, ready-mixed concrete, and aggregates plants here. Just recently, in July 2012 HeidelbergCement Klaipėda opened a new cement terminal in the Klaipėda Free Economic Zone. Wirtgen Lietuva is operating successfully in Lithuania since 1998, offering a broad range of services in all areas of road construction. Meyer & John GmbH & Co. KG, Vilniaus filialas, provides services such as building, maintaining and repairing water, asphalt and stone-paved roads and streets in Lithuania since 2002. These are just three examples of success stories of German companies.

In order to facilitate the market entry for German or Baltic companies, the German-Baltic Chamber of Commerce in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (AHK) offers the following services: • Business Partner Search • Individual Market Advice • Market Information • Address Research • Direct Mailing • Fiscal service • Recruiting • Trade Fair Services For further information please check www.ahk-balt.org

business. In Lithuania its Vilnius office operates as a one-stop-shop for German companies and paves the way for a direct entry the market and cooperation with local partners and institutions. The German-Baltic Chamber of Commerce serves as a platform for important business contacts and provides an extensive range of

Maren Diale-Schellschmidt, CEO of the German-Baltic Chamber of Commerce in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (AHK)

commercial services, information and advice. Representing the interests of its 400 member companies (100 of them are in Lithuania), it is actively engaged in continuously improving the economic and political conditions for doing business – and offers German-Lithuanian companies a valuable network on site.

© Wirtgen Lietuva, UAB

With regard to the German-Lithuanian business relations, the German-Baltic Chamber of Commerce in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (AHK Baltic States) is actively assisting companies from Germany and the Baltic States with professional support and services for a successful foreign

Photo: © AHK

ment of the cross-border transport networks is the Rail Baltica, a planned rail track, connecting Warsaw via Kaunas and Riga with Tallinn. Also, a high number of newly planned investments during the upcoming years and the still high need for modernization can provide numerous opportunities for German engineering and construction companies. Their high quality work and technical expertise is respected and valued.

MOBICAT jaws by Kleemann (Wirtgen Group) are used for the crushing of almost all natural stone and for the reprocessing of residual construction materials

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LITHUANIAN ECONOMY: resilient export and recovering domestic demand Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists

Aleksandr Izgorodin, Analyst of Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists

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he performance of Lithuanian economy has been very volatile during the last several years. In 2009 Lithuania has experienced a hard landing, with output slumping by 15 %.

The country’s exporters have been badly hit by a contracting global economy.

Moreover, the economic growth model, which has been primarily based on substantial inflow of cheap foreign credit, has created severe macroeconomic imbalances and caused overheating of the economy, which eventually resulted in burst of the real estate bubble and other severe consequences for the domestic market. Lastly, draconian fiscal consolidation measures which have been implemented by the authorities in order to prevent budget deficit 14 ||

reaching unsustainably high levels, have additionally weighed on economic activity. In 2010 economic conditions in Lithuania have stabilized, with GDP expanding by a modest 1.4 %. Gradual improvement in economic climate was mainly driven by recovering global trade, on which small and open Lithuanian economy is highly dependent.

In 2011 economic conditions have continued to improve further and GDP climbed by 5.9 % – the second-highest growth rate in the EU after Estonia (8.3 %). While export has acted as a catalyst for gradual economic recovery in 2010, the growth of Lithuanian economy has become more balanced in 2011 – surge in export (export of goods

and services climbed by 14 % in 2011 and surpassed pre-crisis level in nominal terms) has eventually stimulated recovery in investment and domestic demand, with capital formation rising by 17.1 % and household consumption expenditure increasing by 6.1 %.

Economic conditions have continued to improve in 2012, but statistical data shows a gradual slowdown in the pace of economic expansion. After reaching a peak of 6.7 % in 2011 Q3, the rate of GDP expansion has slowed to 2.8 % in 2012 Q2 – a third slowdown in quarterly GDP growth in a row. However, despite a somewhat slower pace of GDP growth, current Lithuanian economic conditions and short-term perspectives remain favorable.

The pace of expansion in Lithuanian GDP remains robust in comparison to majority of EU countries – in 2012 Q2 a higher GDP growth has been observed only in Latvia (4.3 %) and Slovakia (3 %). In addition to this, it is worth mentioning that a slower Lithuanian GDP growth during 2012 Q2 was strongly determined by a statistical effect which was caused by a maintenance works in Lithuanian oil refinery Orlen Lietuva. Due to maintenance works, the production of petroleum products has slumped by 30 % in Q2. Since production of petroleum products accounts for 35 % of total goods produced by Lithuanian industry, the production of Lithuanian industry has declined by 2.5 % in Q2, which also dragged down the pace of GDP growth.

Lithuanian export and exportorientated economic sectors have so far demonstrated strong resilience to euro zone fiscal problems that are affecting the euro region. During the first half of 2012, compared to the corresponding period of last year the volume of Lithuanian export has increased by 7.4 %. If export of petroleum is excluded, the growth in exports volumes would increase to 9.8 %.

The volume of Lithuanian export is now 30 % higher than pre-crisis level of 2008. Lithuanian manufacturing industry, which exports 60 % of its goods, has also provided analysts with rather good results this year – the volume of goods (excluding petroleum goods) produced by Lithuanian manufactures has increased by 9 % during 2012 January-June, compared to corresponding period of previous year, and is 5.8 % higher than pre-crisis (2008) level. There are several factors behind strong resilience and continuous growth in Lithuanian export.

First, Lithuanian companies have so far been able to retain their costcompetitiveness – while real labor productivity is growing, real wages are declining (prices are increasing at a faster pace than wages). This was not the case before Lithuanian economy has experienced a hard landing, when real wages have been rising at a much faster pace than productivity, thus reducing competitiveness of busi-

ness. Regained cost-competitiveness enables Lithuanian exporters to successfully compete for new orders – the quarterly PMI (purchasing managers’ index) survey of 130 biggest Lithuanian manufacturers compiled by Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists (LPK) shows that 67 % of biggest manufactures forecast an increase in new orders in 2012 Q3, the majority of which will come from the EU market. Secondly, solid economic performance of key Lithuanian trade partners in the EU (core euro zone countries, Baltic countries and Scandinavian countries) has, undoubtedly, had a positive impact on Lithuanian export. Lastly, the competitiveness of Lithuanian business has also been positively affected by appreciation in currencies of some of Lithuania’s main trade partners. Polish zloty has appreciated by 6 % against Lithuanian litas in 2012, while the value of Swedish krona and Pound sterling rose by 5%. Short-term export perspectives remain rather optimistic – LPK survey shows that 65 % of biggest Lithuanian manufactures expect export to rise further in 2012 Q3.

Although export trends remain favorable, the latest data on capital formation (i.e. business investment) has not been particularly good. After increasing by 11 % in 2012 Q1, investment in fixed tangible assets rose by only 1.3 % in Q2. Growth in investment in equipment, machinery and transport vehicles slowed from 19 % in Q1 to 1.3 % in Q 2. The slowdown is mainly caused by a high level of uncertainty among business regarding the short and long-term economic perspectives of the euro zone, as well as the global economy as a whole. The level of “productive” (i.e. in equipment, machinery and transport vehicles) investment remains insufficient – in 2011 the ratio of productive investments to GDP accounted for 5.4 % in Lithuania. This was much lower than in Latvia (11.3 %) and Estonia (10.1 %), and also below EU average (6.6 %). Insufficient level of investment may limit future expansion in export – while the volume of exports has exceeded pre-crisis level, the volume of investment is almost

30 % lower than before the crisis, and is close to the level that has been observed in 2005.

Household consumption expenditure continues to recover, but the pace of recovery has also slowed recently – while household consumption expenditure rose by 7.8 % in 2012 Q1, the growth slowed to 4.2 % in Q2.

Household consumption trends will be determined by both positive and negative factors in the nearest future.

Although unemployment remains almost 3 times as high compared to pre-crisis level, persistent (and rather robust) pace of Lithuanian economic recovery has managed to reduce the unemployment level from a peak of 18.3 % in 2010 Q2 to 13.3 % in 2012 Q2. What is more, due to economic recovery, nominal wages keep rising.

In fact, the nominal wage in 2012 Q2 was only 3.7 % lower than in 2008 Q2 (i.e. before the crisis). The average salary in manufacturing has exceeded the pre-crisis level by 2.3 % in 2012 Q2. The above mentioned factors have helped to support ongoing recovery in domestic demand. On the other hand, several negative factors will also continue to affect domestic consumption in the nearest future, and are at least in part to blame for the slowdown in domestic demand. First, prices of necessities (food, electricity, heating, water, fuel) are increasing at a rather fast pace. While consumer prices rose by 3.3 % (y-o-y) in August, prices of water, electricity, heating, fuel rose by 5.4 %. Transport prices rose by 4.5 % in August, while food was 3 % more expensive than a year ago. The structure of Lithuanian consumer expenditure shows that expenditures on food (26 %), electricity, heating, water, fuel (13 %) and transport (13 %) account for more than half (52 %) of total expenditures of average Lithuanian consumer. As a result, rising prices of necessities increase the cost of living, which has an adverse effect on consumer expenditures. Second, euro zone fiscal problems may eventually persuade Lithuanian consumers to increase savings and reduce consumption, thus also potentially dragging the rate of recovery in domestic demand downwards. || 15

Construction company Mitnija offers solutions for the future

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itnija UAB is a private construction company, which has been working successfully for five decades and specializing in industrial and residential construction, design, production and installation of metal constructions, building renovation, demolition and general contracting.

The modern and professional construction company offers Lithuanian and foreign markets comfortable, aesthetic and innovative solutions that not only reliably serve the public but also decorate the environment, inspire and help people using the company’s work results to work, learn, create, and enjoy a beautiful and comfortable life.

Since 2006, the company is owned by MG Baltic Group.

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In 2007 and 2008, Mitnija received gold medals in the competition “Lithuanian Product of the Year”.

In recent years, Mitnija service sales have been growing faster than the Lithuanian construction market.

The company is awarded important contracts of both private investors and the public sector in Lithuania; it is also successfully expanding the geography of services to foreign markets.

The company’s growth is determined by the team of highly skilled creative specialists, including construction, engineering and business planning areas.

The Company’s productive capacity enables it to construct particularly large objects in record time, and the range of services covers an entire cycle: from designing the object to handing the customer a key

Lithuanian Museum of Ethnocosmology 2008, Molėtai Size - 1 966 m2.

Space - 14 223 m3.

to it.. One of Mitnija’s advantages is the fact that its obligations to clients do not end with the construction. They are to be carried out as long as the building is in use.

Mitnija’s name is made famous in Lithuania and abroad by such projects as exceptional architecture Lithuanian Museum of Ethnocosmology in Molėtai district, logistics and shopping centres, factories, warehouses, modern and economic residential, office, recreational and other buildings or their complexes.

struction traditions and non-standard individualised solutions allow the company not only to ensure implementation of the highest requirements of today’s clients but also to take into consideration tomorrow’s needs of the future consumers.

In most cases, the projects implemented by Mitnija are UAB intended not only for day: the results will be used by several generations, so the company works very precisely, with great responsibility, often leaving behind not only its competitors but also the time.

The company is also successfully implementing joint projects in cooperation with Lithuanian and foreign partners.

The long history and experience, high organisational culture, professional, creative staff, the best con-

Above, construction of the Obstetrics and Surgery department in Santariškių clinics 2011, Vilnius Size - 28 000 m2.

Space - 129 000 m3.

Below, industrial building reconstruction into the science and research centre 2011, Minsk Size - 8 100 m2.

Space - 53 400 m3.

www.mitnija.lt | 17

Complex of entertainment

Investitor: Dolomitas AB Planner: Land Management Center of Kaunas University of Technology

The present landscape of dolomite quarry in PetraĹĄiĹŤnai, Pakruojis district

Working process in dolomite quarry

The fragment of perspective lanscape of the entertainment complex 18 || 18

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he development plan of the complex presents adaptation of the territories of quarries of mineral resources for recreational use, giving visitors a pleasant feeling and extreme experiences for the first time in Lithuania. The plan was prepared on the basis entertainment needs of today’s mobile society and the international theoretical and practical experience of development of entertainment landscapes and thematic parks. The increasing use of resources causes the expansion of quarries and wastelands in landscape. The re-use of such sites becomes a relevant social, economic, and environmental issue.

The aspects of interests and the array of solution of this problem far transcend the contemporary tasks of quarry remediation.

Large territories damaged by the process of mining are currently converted into entertainment parks, providing sociocultural services to visitors and economic benefits to local people and the state. The feasibility study and a special landscape management plan prepared at the Land Management Center of Kaunas University of Technology propose the possibilities of adaptive re-use of the exploited mining territories, which would meet the challenges of the contemporary society without compromising the needs of the future generations and without damaging the sites of picturesque landscapes.

landscape in Lithuania The work consists of two parts: the feasibility study of adaptive re-use of the dolomite quarry in Petrašiūnai (Pakruojis district) from the land management point of view and the special landscape management plan. This plan provides the possibility to create new functions and values in the exploited dolomite quarries instead of using scenic natural areas.

The aim of the feasibility study of adaptive re-use for recreational purposes of the dolomite quarry and the special landscape management plan is to adapt consistently the exploited territories, the territories under exploitation and the territories, which are planned to be mined in the future, to the entertainment use and to create the landscape of 13 thematic entertainment parks. Several most important parks can be mentioned: funfair, water attractions, exploration, adventure, recreational fishing, a quiet rest and relaxation, cultural, festive and sporting events, water sports, underwater exploration and others. In order to maintain a single land management idea of the dolomite quarry, all the site of the entertainment landscape is planned as a single complex of thematic parks covering an area of 880 ha with an area of 350 ha of artificial water bodies.

www.dolomitas.lt

Special landscape managment plan of the dolomite quarry

www.ktu.lt | 19

AD AD REM REM

AD REM GROUP - the group of logistics companies in Lithuania: AD REM, AD REM TRANSPORT, VILNIAUS TRANZITAS, AD REM LEZ. The main activity: customs brokerage, international and local road, rail, air, sea transportation & forwarding, warehousing and distribution, import – export terminal, bonded warehouses services.

Offices in Vilnius (capital of the Republic of Lithuania) and Klaipėda (the main city-port of the Republic of Lithuania).

AD REM TRANSPORT -

AD REM

international freight forwarder and local distributor The competence: Member of WFN, WCA, PFI; Individual FIATA membership; IATA member; LINAVA (Lithuanian National Road Carriers’ Association) member; LINEKA (Lithuanian National Freight Forwarders and Logistics Association LINEKA) member; LLA (Lithuanian Logistics Association) the cofounder; ISO 9001:2008.

Services: World wide transportation by road, rail, air, sea - partners in 168 world countries; Multimodal transportation; International removal services; international diplomatic cargo transportation services; Partners and VIP clients list: Iberdrola, General Electric, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, AON insurance, Lithuanian Railway, Klaipėda Port.

is the largest customs brokerage company in Lithuania.

The competence: Customs Intermediary Registration Certificate No. 020372 issued to AD REM on 17.09.1993.

The status of a Reliable Business Entity of the Republic of Lithuania, Certificate Nom. VM000791 issued to AD REM on 10.09.2002.

AEO (Authorised Economic Operator) Certificate Nom. LT AEOC 1004200009.

AEO is recognised worldwide as safe, secure and compliant business partners in international trade.

The last oversize project: 200 T gas turbine delivery from Klaipėda port to LIETUVOS ELEKTRINĖ power plant in Elektrėnai. The project was carried out under Iberdrola, WLSC, GE and LG maintenance.

AD REM, AD REM TRANSPORT and AD REM LEZ (a new logistics centre in Free Economic Zone of Lithuania, Klaipėda) performed these tasks for the oversize project: FCL shipping and import procedures from Asia and Americas; Shipping and import of air cargo; Transit procedures EX1, T1; Local deliveries; Conveyance of oversize shipments.

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AD REM services: Preparation of customs documents and Intrastat reports; Representing companies in the customs of the Republic of Lithuania; Providing guarantee for customs clearance; Bank charges, duties and other client’s tax payment; Customs clearance control; Consultancy on customs clearance matters.

VIP clients list: Philip Morris, Johnson & Johnson, TeliaSonera (Omnitel), Paroc Group and etc.

AD REM LEZ a terminal with new bonded and distributional warehouses (8200 m2, type A) that covers 2 hectares and is well-equipped with modern handling equipment

VILNIAUS TRANZITAS a warehouse and logistics operator.

Provides import and export terminal services; bonded warehouses services; 3PL (Third Party Logistics) services; cargo warehousing and distribution in Baltic States services and other.

Competence: ISO 9001:2008 Certificate.

www.adrem.lt

Metalo str. 2A/7 LT-02190 Vilnius Lithuania www.adrem.lt | 21

Bitumen shingles SHINGLAS – excellent quality and performance guaranteed by a reliable producer

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Lithuania-based private company Mida LT produces roll roofing and bitumen shingles. In 2000, the Company became a part of international corporation TechnoNICOL, the world leader in roll roofing production and one of the major producers of bitumen shingles SHINGLAS in Europe and Asia.

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oday Mida LT UAB – is a successfully operating company with over 50-year experience in production of bitumen-polymer and bitumen roofing: flexible shingles in a wide range of colours, modifications, thickness and geometric forms for pitched roofs and roll-roofing for flat roofs. The Company also offers additional components required for roofing works and completing elements for adequate ventilation of the roof. Production is distributed through dealers and the major sales networks all over Europe and the produced bitumen roofing products are well-known and positively evaluated by buyers not only in neighbouring Central or Western European countries, but also in different countries of the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Bitumen shingles Hexagonal, Accord, Delta, Beaver, Trio are popular products produced in the shape of trapezium and in other shapes according to the European standard. A new product of the corporation is laminated bitumen shingles

JAZZ. It‘s a high-end product designated for implementing original design solutions. Relief and colours of laminated shingles contribute to the formation of a natural and aesthetic image of the roof.

Multi-layered laminated bitumen shingles are covered by a 30-year guarantee against manufacturing defects.

Shingles SHINGLAS is an optimal choice in terms of price-quality ratio. All roof coverings of the Company are produced with regard to peculiar climatic conditions of the countries of intended use of the product. Shingles supplied to the market of the Southern countries (Spain, Turkey, Bulgaria, etc.) are extremely resistant to high temperatures, while shingles produced for consumers in the Central and Northern Europe (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Germany, the Baltic and Scandinavian countries) are frost-resistant. Adjustment of composition of bitumen mass according to the climatic conditions of a particular country is a factor of extreme importance determin-

ing performance parameters, durability and life-span of the roofing.

At the present time the Company successfully sells its production in twenty countries all over the world. Mida LT UAB production reached even West Africa.

Plans of the Company involve entering the new markets of the countries in North Africa, North America and a rapidly growing Brazilian market.

Director of the Company Jonas Dromantas - “our Company‘s production is as good as the quality of the products manufactured by Finish, Canadian, Belgian producers, the countries famous for long manufacturing traditions.”

www.shinglas.com

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Centuries-old traditions of building wooden houses

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www.edvima.lt 24 || 24

uests to Varėna district in Lithuania admire wooden buildings, abundance of ancient authentic details preserved in this district, which were lost elsewhere a long time ago. They all are old and beautiful, whereas “boxes” built from silicate bricks during the recent decades have already been destroyed somewhat by time and their unreal owners.

Times change and fashions change with time. Wooden construction, however, experiences an exponential rise. New technologies create the possibility to build log houses quickly and qualitatively. Details are also of great importance: carved window rims, porches, the whole of materials, forms, colours and smells. The heat radiated by a stove or a fireplace is quite different from the heat coming from radiators.

Masters of Edvima started to build wooden houses in 1996. Since that time they have already built more than 300 houses, saunas and summer-houses. Wooden houses are built from selective fir-tree logs. The age of the trees amount to 80 – 100 years, and the thickness of walls depends on the purpose of the building and can range from 14 to 25 centimetres. Profiles of milled logs and corner joints are constantly being improved. Our masters learned secrets of building by taking over local people’s experience that stood the test of time and the innovations used in the Scandinavian countries.

Inside surfaces of the logs are impregnated, and metal reinforcements are used in important places. Seeking to compensate for subsidence of the building regulating screws are mounted.

We found the way of making log cut outs and constructed a milling cutter especially for that purpose so

that they could be cut out exactly. It took a long time and a lot of patients to adjust the mechanism before we achieved the desired result. Now we can boast that due to a special cut of the corner the wind never blows through the walls and corners in the houses that we build. And this means that houses built by Edvima are warm, of high quality, inexpensive, assembled in a short time and ecological.

An inexpensive, warm log house that appeals to your heart is not a utopian dream. It is an attainable reality, which we can implement within a month. We are glad that our work has been evaluated not only in Lithuania but also abroad. Constructions of our Company adorn and delight residents of Spain, England, Germany and Poland. Their number is already approaching one thousand.

Customers who value originality and cosiness choose log houses. The present-day log house is designed taking into account all aspects of a desirable modern design therefore our aim is to understand and get to know the customers’ needs, and, what is the most important, to satisfy them.

Soloservis Soloservis UAB is manufacturer of steel, buildings structure elements: columns, trusses, connections, beams, variable cross-section beams, platforms and it offers metalworking services: plasma cutting, bending, welding, engineering, repair and reconstruction of different machinery and other services. All these contructions meet 1090-2 standart. Welding works are performed by the certified welders according to EN 287-1 requirements and organized by a certified coordinator according to EN ISO 14731. Surfaces of steel onstructions are cleaned up to 2½ class according to

ISO 85015-1 requirements and painting works of steel construction meet EN ISO 12944:2000.

Soloservis also offers production of heavy transport – commercial, building, agricultural, special transport. All these products meet ISO 9001.

Soloservis UAB offers subcontractor services to companies which need trailers, semitrailers, swap bodies, tipper bodies, steel and buildings structure elements, products from steel, stainless steel, aluminium.

www.soloservis.lt | 25

Lithuanian products: from sauna cubicles to apartment houses Jūratė Mockuvienė

Products manufactured by the private company Tyla UAB operating in Lithuania are exported all over the world. Aesthetic and stable structures from high quality wood are custom made.

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ooden products manufactured by the private company Tyla UAB are made from profiled fir-tree squared beam: apartment houses, summer houses, garden houses, bath-houses, sauna cubicles, arbours, and garages.

At the present time about 98 per cent of production is exported. The greatest part, about 25-30 per cent, is exported to Germany. The Company’s partner in Germany, which is engaged in work with the customers, is Company Butenas-holzbauten.

Many products are exported to Holland, Italy, France, Portugal, Ireland, Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Luxemburg, Switzerland and even to Japan.

Since the Company co-operates with foreign partners, it runs a hotel in which guests who arrive in Lithuania are accommodated.

High quality products Knowing very well that the quality of the product solely depends on the qual26 |

ity of timber the manufacturers have been importing raw materials from the northern part of Russia for more than 10 years. Having chosen this strategy for its activity the Company economises in other spheres because the amount of waste of such raw materials is minimal. Sawdust and small cuttings that remain after the production process are used to heat the industrial and office premises.

The Company itself organises the entire process of logistics: from manufacture of products to their delivery.

If consultations on how to assemble a building according to the presented scheme are needed, they are held by the masters trained by the Company or its partners.

As the Company receives more orders than it can fulfil, it started thinking of extending production. It is planned to build a 1000 square-meter industrial building near the already existing 5000 square-meter premises. This is the investment totalling about half a million,

which is intended to be commenced this year.

“In the course of more than 20 years of the Company’s existence professional staff of 180 employees has formed.

This enables us to look forward to the long-term perspective with hope”, said one of the owners of the Company and the Manager of the Sales Department Arūnas Vaitaitis.

Sauna cubicles constitute a large part of production. This year has been one of the best during the entire period of the Company’s existence. The largest part of such production is exported to Germany. Saunas are made from timber of coniferous trees. Local timber – black alder and aspen – is used for inside facilities only.

Individual orders are carried out Private Company Tyla UAB stopped looking for orders for large standard products a long time ago. Specialists of the Company that has been operat-

ing for almost twenty years in this field know the needs of the customers, traditions, provisions of the laws of every country and respond to that sensitively.

The industrial process is controlled from the moment of receipt of the sketch to its final fulfilment. Having received an order and a preliminary drawing the designers prepare working drawings detailing every point of the wall according to certain measurements. Any wooden house or a summer house reacts to the changes in ambient humidity therefore it is necessary to carefully take into account all the gaps near the window or door joints.

Attention to the thermal resistance of wooden houses Specialists deny the myth that the thicker the log the better it preserves heat. In fact this is not the case. Even if a log is 20 or more centimetres thick, in the place of joints it is not thicker than 8 cm, which is the same as 9,5-centimetre thick glued squared beam. Hence, if one wants to have a warm building, its wooden wall must be warmed all the same using wooden finishing of the same profile.

The owners of the Private Company Tyla took over many technological solutions from their German colleagues who have long experience in the field of building squared beam houses. A special institute of supervising construction of houses of this type has been founded, which certifies manufacturers, sellers and builders. A house made of logs according to the RAL standard applied there would not even be certified in Germany. Private Company Tyla UAB has manufactured several houses in Germany, which were certified according to that standard. “Having started working with the German colleagues we chose such a way and standards of production, which are based on centuries-old German traditions and investigations quite naturallyâ€? said the Head and one of the owners of the Company ArĹŤnas Vaitaitis.

www.tyla.lt | 27

Photo by „Verslo žinios“

Friendly and united team of Glastika helps the customers’ dreams come true

GLASTIKA

glass packages for special windows The employees who are mastering the latest technologies and who are set on improving their skills helped Glastika to preserve the circle of loyal customers during the time of the crisis”, states Director of Glastika UAB Virginija Bugenienė.

Director of Glastika UAB Virginija Bugenienė It is for more than 8 years in a row that we have been offering our customers not only high-quality products, professional consultations, a short term of manufacturing, a five-year guarantee for our products but also good mood. We have survived the crisis that blew over several years ago following which we remained the only Company in Vilnius region manufacturing glass packages. We were able to overcome the crisis owing to the young, industrious and ambitious team, which does its best to meet the needs and expectations of each customer.

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The best companies in their sphere supply Glastika with materials: Saint-Gobain Glass Deutschland GmbH, Guardian Europe S.a.r.l, Fenzi Belgium, H.B. Fuller Window GmbH, GRACE GmbH&Co.KG, ALU-PRO SRL, Profilglass s.p.a, Rolltech A/S, Technoform Glass Insulation GmbH, Ensinger GmbH, Kommerling Chemische Fabric GmbH.

Active rest helps to forget work problems at least for a short time. Having broken away from the din of the city, a young and thrusting team demonstrates its will-power in long and tiring tracks built on tops of the trees

The team spirit can also be strengthened by taking part in competitions.

Having released the accumulated emotions and support relations among themselves on the competition circuit, the employees of Glastika return to work with much greater enthusiasm

Team games help set up interrelations and create a united team. Trustful, friendly communication and respect for one another are features of efficiently working staff, which have to be developed during free time too

Sound insulation Sound-proof glass-packages help reduce noise that comes both from outside and inside the premises. Seeking to make full use of the insulating qualities specialists of Glastika, first and foremost, determine frequency of the noise to be reduced and then calculate resonance frequency of the window and offer the most suitable solution.

Photo by „Norfenster“ UAB

Photo by „Doleta“ UAB

Individual orders Glastika also manufactures standard glass packages but its strong point and exceptionality is packages with decorative glass and stained glass, individual and technologically complicated, as well as time-intensive products of various configurations. Transparent, mat, of different shades and forms glass packages decorate exceptional buildings in Western and Eastern Europe.

Photo by „Doleta“ UAB

Thermal insulation Excellent thermal insulation is one of the most important requirements set to highquality windows. Seeking to improve the thermal coefficient Glastika uses selective glass in manufacturing glass packages.

These glass packages are filled with argon or krypton gases, which make windows even warmer.

Solar control Windows installed on the southern and western side of a building raise different problems during the hot season: harmful infra-red rays penetrate, due to the solar effect furniture is spoilt, and the premise becomes hot. Glastika offers to solve these problems using glass packages with solar control, darkened or reflexive glass.

Photo by „Doleta“ UAB

Glastika glass packages are commissioned for the windows of complicated objects

Safety Windows and shop-windows manufactured with Glastika glass packages comply with the safety and quality requirements of the European Union, and are exported to dif-

ferent countries of the world. The Danish certification company DS Certificering A/S issued EN 1279.5 quality certificate to glass manufactured by Glastika.

www.glastika.lt | 29

Homes for a better quality of life

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riautė UAB is a producer of timber-frame panel houses, wooden windows, outdoor furniture, anti-vandal, interior and exterior doors, cladding boards, floor boards, beehives and it is constantly looking for other possibilities to use its equipment. Skilful carpenters ensure the best quality of the end product. The main product is timberframe panel houses. After professional engineers have completed the design, pre-fabricated elements are produced using Swedish computerized equipment; therefore the human impact on the precision of the final product is reduced. Only natural and certified materials are used in production. Delivery and assembling of houses are organized in the shortest possible time preserving the quality of the product. Work is carried out according to ISO quality management and FSC systems, and the entire process, from making a price offer to handing over the keys to the client, is smooth and transparent.

25 years of experience in the construction field enables Kriautė to complete the projects to the highest level of detail. Orders for manufacturing panels only are also taken. Flexibility is one of the main advantages of Kriautė. Clients can choose materials to 30 |

be used in their products, thickness of the walls and the roof, as well as finishing level of elements.

Panel houses manufactured by Kriautė UAB show good results in vacuum tests, and clients are happy to save money on heating expenses. The team will professionally consult you about your project and suggest the most optimal solution for each individual case. Being economical, ecological, environment-friendly, creating comfortable microclimate for living, our timber-frame element houses are also cost-effective. So far we have built houses in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, France, Ireland, Russia and Lithuania. Our regular customers say that our production exceeds their expectations.

Another main product is wooden windows.

Kriautė UAB produces EURO type, as well as Scandinavian type windows. Clients can choose double or triple pane glazing windows, simple wooden or aluminum cased frames, etc. With the heat transfer coefficient being 1.3 W/(m2K) for double pane and 1.1 W/(m2K) for triple pane glazing, 33 dB and 35 dB of air sound insulation, respectively, these windows are the best choice for any type of house.

www.kriaute.lt

Safety and aesthetics of the highest level

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rivate Company Pietų Spektras UAB guarantees maximum safety of the highest level for you and your property. These are extremely safe, strong internal and external metal doors of increased safety, which are warm and have good sound insulation.

We paint the most various metal products with powder paints. This is a reliable, qualitative and long-term method of painting the metal surface with a desired colour. Only the highest quality paints of Austrian and Italian manufacturers are used.

It is important to us not only to manufacture and sell a high quality product but also to meet the needs of even the most demanding customer. Each customer is important to us therefore we fulfil every presented order in accordance with the customer’s request.

Powder paints are intended for a long-term and reliable protection and decoration of the surface of material.

The way of painting

Private company Pietų Spektras UAB has seven-year work experience in the sphere of manufacture of armoured doors. We manufacture custom-made doors for flats, stairways, boiler houses, private houses. Workers with the highest qualifications only work for the Company because we must ensure high quality of each product and prompt and first-rate service. We give our products a guarantee for up to five years. Our products are exported to England, Norway, and Russia.

is very different from traditional (wet) painting.

Maximum measurements of the product being painted are as follows: 5000 (length) x 2200 (width). Measurements of the furnace: 5000 mm (length) x 2000 mm (height) x 1600 mm (width).

Colours and shades are chosen from the RAL colour palette, the structure can change from completely even to very coarse, and lustre – from absolutely mat to especially shiny. To meet special needs it is possible use structural “metallic” paints.

Powder painting is an ideal method of processing steel and aluminium surfaces, which are subject to a strong mechanical or natural impact. This method also suits perfectly when it is necessary to prepare a decorative surface.

www.pietuspektras.lt | 31

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pecialists who have long experience in the field of wood processing teamed up under a single roof of the company Tekmega whose main activity is designing, manufacturing, assembling and equipping log houses built from turned wood. The Company also manufactures and builds saunas, playgrounds, outdoor furniture and other products. The production process is constantly being improved therefore the Company’s employees raise their qualification at different training courses, workshops and seminars where they deepen their knowledge of wood processing, manufacturin and building of log houses, as well as take part in different building and construction industry shows.

In 2006, the Company Tekmega joined the Association of Log Houses Producers (ALHP), currently AMWH (the Association of Manufacturers of Wooden Houses) and in 2007, the Company was issued the AMWH Certificate of Compliance testifying that manufacturing and assembling technology used meets the requirements of the AMWH standard “Log Parts of Buildings. Technical Requirements”, which are approved by the Lithuanian Department of Standardisation. Following these standards the Company manufactures, builds and equips log houses.

The Company Tekmega employs highly qualified workers who have wide experience in the sphere of designing, manufacturing and equipping log houses.

This helps the Company satisfy the customers’ needs without reducing the quality of the log construction.

www.tekmega.lt | 33

Quality qality

is the second name of Roda, manufacturer of windows, doors and panel houses “Life should be comfortable” is the principle adhered to by the Company Roda, which has gained extensive experience in the manufacture and construction of windows, doors and panel houses and has already provided a large number of houses with maximum comfort.

The products of the Company, which marked the twentieth anniversary of successful operations, have earned recognition from a great many customers in Lithuania and other European countries such as Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Great Britain. Thus, today the name of these products has become synonymous with quality.

Today as never before the major focus is laid on ecology. However, it is not only important what we eat but

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also in what environment we live and what we breathe.

Ecology in one’s house starts from the very first steps.

A crucial role in this respect is performed by the windows which can open up a full view of nature. The key task is to properly select materials, while the simplest step towards a healthier and cleaner tomorrow is wooden windows. Such a choice would be pleasing to the eye and ensure a continuous satisfaction with the quality of the selected product even in the distant future.

The Company Roda manufactures wooden windows according to two standards – the European and the Scandinavian ones. The products of the European standard are made of glued pine wood, while those of the Scandinavian standard are non-glued solid pine or mahogany. However, it is not worth troubling oneself

about their differences and the most suitable option.

It is better to relax and trust the professionals: the Company’s specialists will identify the customers’ actual needs and offer the optimum solution tailored to everyone’s taste.

The Company’s team of professionals takes care of the production of superior quality windows as well as of doors of high quality. The Company does not only produce the aforementioned windows and doors but also manufactures and builds panel houses. State-ofthe-art technology thereof has taken root due to the aforementioned importance of ecology and a rapid and simple method of construction. The houses are constructed using the panels produced in Roda’s department which are assembled on the construction site.

All construction elements are designed using special

software that ensures good and particularly accurate assembling.

A wide range of products – all you have to do is choose.

Currently, the Kaišiadorys-based Company is engaged not only in the production of the aforementioned products. Recently its product range has been supplemented with wooden windows and doors with aluminium binding.

Roda’s major key to success is quality. A search for such a formula did not take long. The decades of the Company’s activities owe a lot to the tandem established at the very beginning: professional work of the Company’s specialists and premium quality materials from Finland, Norway, Denmark and Poland. However, despite all that, the major stimulus for the Company’s growth is unconditional trust and loyalty of the customers.

www.roda.lt | 35

GEOTECHNICAL CONSTRUCTIONS UNDER COMPLEX CONDITIONS

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stablished in 1991, Private company Vilniaus Rentinys designs and constructs rational foundations and geotechnical constructions. The Company has established itself as a leading company in Lithuania and with its own forces performs works totalling up to 100 billion litas per year.

Throughout the operation period, works on several thousand construction sites have been carried our, foundations for various buildings, underground parkings (of up to four floors), subways, as well as foundations and retaining walls for overbridges and road constructions have been installed. This includes work in complex geological conditions (where the soil is 36 |

mounded, peaty and watery). In 2008 and 2010, the company was awarded with gold medal at the Lithuanian Product of The Year contest for its unique works.

The company employs over two hundred people, including highly qualified constructors, geologists, construction project managers. The company has been certified and is allowed to act as a constructor of special structures. In addition, it has a lisense to investigate the underground.

The company has a wide selection of foundation installation equipment within the capacity of installing poles from 300 mm to 1200 mm in diameter, as well as auxiliary equipment, such as anchor installment

aggregates, concrete cars and pumps, etc., required to ensure the efficiency of works. The company has a soil investigation device, therefore, it can offer the most rational and economical options of foundation installation.

Private company Vilniaus Rentinys is a member of the Lithuanian Builders Association, which is a part of FIEC (European Construction Industry Federation).

The company’s employees are actively involved in the activities of the Lithuanian Geotechnical Society, which is a member of ISSMGE (International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering), and the Lithuanian Association of Civil Engineers, which is a member of ECCE (European Council of Civil Engineers).

With highly qualified employees and proper equipment, Vilniaus Rentinys is capable of designing and constructing different complex foundations, retaining walls, transport and railroad tunnels, footbridge and pier foundations in all EU countries. Moreover, it can also strengthen the foundations of the existing buildings, construct or extend the basement floor, lower the water level, perform soil reinforcement, geological (geotechnical) soil investigations.

www.rentinys.lt

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For everyday and leisure

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e are an innovative company manufacturing wooden products. Our main products are log apartment houses, houses of rest, houses for entertainment, hot tubs, and mobile bathhouses.

Wooden hot tubs are one of the most pleasant ways to regain one’s strength after a hard day’s work, to have a good time with the family or friends.

They are also useful for health, they help overcome stress, remove nervous stress, quicken metabolism and strengthen immunity.

Do you want to be original? We want to offer a bathhouse to you that differs from all other bathhouses in its appearance – a sauna in a tub that can be placed even in such a place where it would be difficult to built even the simplest small bathhouse. These bathhouses are practical, they use very little fire-wood and do not require much supervision.

We work with both direct customers and with partners who sell our production.

We have experience both in the local and foreign markets.

www.raska.lt 38 |

New, small and cozy Babilonas

Hotel

Babilonas Hotel stands in a peaceful location in the center of Kaunas, on a hill which reveals the breathtaking panorama of the city. Take a 10 minute walk and you will find yourself in the very heart of Kaunas city and the Old Town.

• 24 ecologically decorated rooms • Babilonas Restaurant during banquets and buffets (till 60 persons) • Conference hall with modern equipment • Sauna for 6 persons • Wine and olive oil shop • Ecotours with bicycles around Lithuania (up to 40 people) Hotel “Babilonas”. Þalioji st. 38A, Kaunas, Lithuania

Tel.+370 37 20 25 45 www.babilonas.lt

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Beautiful Security For Your Home

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LIENINIS SKYDAS has more than ten-year experience in manufacturing of security and entrance doors. Throughout our industrial practice, we have been investing into the development of our manufacturing facility, obtaining high-tech equipment, following world trends in manufacturing security doors, 40 |

and applying new scientific inventions in production. This turned us into a well-known company in Eastern and Central Europe and reliable partner to your local and foreign representatives. Our products are already being exported to Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Island, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, etc.

The share of the export is constantly growing and one of the nearest goals is to find a partner in the market of Germany.

The Company is located in Vilnius, Lithuania and employs around 100 highly qualified employees.

In order to ensure the quality of our products, we test the properties of the doors only in notified laboratories and therefore, most tests are carried out in Ift Rosenheim, Germany. The analysis of advanced security characteristics are taken into the consideration, the entire manufacturing control system ensures that once established will always be available in every product.

We produce security class 2, 3 and 4 (RC2, 3

and 4 by ENV 1627), bullet-resistant FB4 and fire-resistant EI45 doors. All our door models can come in unlimited designs, shapes, colours and styles. We can even save the authentic design of architectural inheritance and produce the door with a high security level. All our doors have high sound and heat insulation and user-friendly but secure locks that can be customized.

During the years of experience and operation, our Company has carried out a large number of tests, mastered the subtleties of door structure, and turned our door into a perfect shield to reliably protect your home and your near and dear ones.

Please contact us for becoming our representative in your region.

www.door.lt

Every detail is important in every stage: projection, testing and manufacturing

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SENOJO MIESTO ARCHITEKTAI /Old town architects/ Design services: projects of heritage conservation, restorationadaptation projects, reconstruction and new construction projects.

Planning services: special heritage conservation detailed plans.

Medininkai castle

Dubingiai castle

The following projects were implemented between 2009 and 2012: The project financed from the European Union Structural Funds “Conservation of Bernadine Monastery Ensemble and its adaptation for Tourist Purposes” The ensemble of Vilnius Church of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Bernardino of Siena, the Church of St. Anne and the monastery building at 6, 8, 10 Maironio Street. Investigations, the project of heritage conservation works. The interior of the church lavishly decorated with painting of the 16th-19th century, two chapels and the belfry have been restored.

The project financed from the European Union Structural Funds “Adaptation of public cultural tourism infrastructure of the site of Dubingiai ancient castle for the development of cultural tourism”. Technical and work pro-

jects, the project of heritage conservation works and supervision of carrying out the project. The remains of the 15th-17th palace of the Radziwill family investigated by archaeologists are displayed under the grass roof.

The project financed from the European Union Structural Funds “Reconstruction of Medininkai Castle and adaptation of public cultural tourism infrastructure for the development of cultural tourism”. Technical and work projects, the project of heritage conservation and supervision of carrying out the project. The largest castle tower of Bergfried type has been reconstructed and adapted for a museum. The castellated-style castle described in 1387 for the first time is the largest one in the region.

www.smartas.lt 42 || 42

Bernardine monastery ensemble

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ANGUVA Plastikas UAB is the Company manufacturing plastic and aluminum windows, doors, conservatories, partitions and frameless structures. Our main goal is to ensure high quality in providing professional services that meet the needs of our customers and partners and to provide our employees with favourable opportunities to improve their qualification.

The Company was founded on 7 December 1998. Efficient and co-ordinated work of the administrative, management and production departments of the Company is the key to our success and the basis of our development. As compared with the first years of the activity of Languva Plastikas UAB, not only volumes of production but also the assortment of the services and products offered by the Company have increased considerably.

The entire production of the Company is certified by the Certification Centre of Building Products of the Ministry of Construction.

All products of the Company carry a five-year guarantee. Plastic windows are made from lead-free KBE profiles marked with the Greenline sign. The sign means that the profiles have the following important characteristics: lead-free, high thermal insulation, environmental-friendly products. These are highly environmentalfriendly products.

We offer three 58 mm cameras, 70 mm and 88 mm in five of six chamber window and door systems with single or double glazing. The 88 mm system meets the requirements for windows of a passive house. This option allows the system to manufacture products for indoor, soft and particularly severe climatic conditions.

www.languva.lt || 43

WINDOWS EXPERTS

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he factory of private company Windex UAB was built in the vicinity of Kaunas, next to the highway Via Baltica linking Europe and the Scandinavian countries in 2008. The factory has been equipped with the latest ROTOX and Schirmer machines. The CNC corner cleaning machine does not only clean the external welding seams but also the internal ones to ensure better tightness of the windows.

Advanced technology eliminates human errors and enables a high quality of products to be achieved.

Therefore all production processes are automated.

The installed bar code system is used to improve production control.

Company Windex UAB produces and offers PVC windows (opening inwards/outwards) and PVC doors (opening inwards/outwards: facade, balcony, terrace doors, sliding doors, etc.) There is also a separate custom PVC production line tailored to the individual needs of product manufacturing.

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Windows are made of 5 chambers, 70mm thickness and 6 chambers, 88mm thickness profiles, which are welded with the help of the 4-head Rotox machine.

Glass for the windows is selected according to the customer‘s needs: thermal and/or sound insulation, protective, sun control, stained and other kind of glass. The Company can offer a wide range of windows: from the windows that meet standard needs and requirements set to thermal and sound insulation to the windows that have features of energy performance necessary for passive houses.

Apartment house

Products manufactured by private company Windex bear the CE mark. The Company uses the environment- and human health-friendly materials for production. Winkhaus fittings used for production provide excellent window closing. The hardware system has many accessories, which give extra comfort and security to the windows.

At the present time the Company is implementing the e-business system which will enable the Company to receive real-time information about the status of production orders, will help it plan the activities more smoothly and make more accurate decisions on management. Separate stock, sales, marketing, manufacturing, customer, personnel, supply planning and management processes will be integrated.

Renovated school building

www.windex.lt

PVC production line of Windex

Produced windows for pivate house | 45

Lispimeks dangos

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e are proud to have been in flooring business since 1992 representing the best quality products in the field: carpets from Anker Teppichboden and AxproCarpets Kowary, installation materials – Ufloor Systems, sports floors from BSW GmbH and Gerflor Taraflex, parquet from Scheucher Holzindustrie GmbH , luxury vinyl tile Moduleo – IVC group, rubber from Nora, safety flooring – Altro limited, wall paddings – Mawi Tex GmbH, PVC tile systems from Bergo FlooringAB and Flexi-tile.

Being a family company, we ensure to our suppliers and clients continuity of experi-

Kempinski hotel Vilnius 46 || 46

ence and undivided attention to each project.

Our devoted employees provide full range of quality services: detailed consulting from the start on the best selection of floors according to the clients needs, advice on installation and works, maintenance support. Installation teams have expertise in all necessary technologies for coverings listed above.

centers, schools, shopping malls, app. 60 sports halls, and private homes as well. The Company is working under the official construction atestation certificate for sites with more than 100 visitors expected at a time.

Due to the latest and most effective solutions produced by the floor manufacturers our co-operation with architects and designers is fruitful.

Our references of completed projects include office buildings, theaters (Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, Lithuanian National Drama Theatre and others), hotels (the latest project in Kempinski hotel Vilnius, opened September 2012), medical

Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre

Vilnius Tauras Sports school

www.lispimeks.lt

Forum Palace in Vilnius

EtnoDesign -

cosy gifts to inspire

We create souvenirs that we wished to receive ourselves , - say the founders of Lithuanian family enterprise „EtnoDesign“, sharing an authentic concept of wood, memory and legend linked together.

The creativity of the designers is based on the jazzy attitude towards the tradition and folklore. This is the source where the new „EtnoDesign“ collections originate to brighten a new day.

Due to technologies developed in „EtnoDesign“ manufacture, the timber changes its forms from delicate decorative plywood to innovative pliant and flexible wood.

Lasercut intertwines with handwork, new technologies interlace with fairy-tales and cosy pieces of art are born. Be it a coaster for tea, a notebook for new bright ideas, a wooden puzzle for early guests or any interior decoration, - each of it has a written personalized story to inspire.

Shop online: www.EtnoDesign.lt

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SKP stiklas Accurate and precise market players

Ä„Ĺžuolynas sports and health center

T

he year 1995 can be regarded as the beginning of the activity of the Company SKP stiklas. Since that time we have grown into a solid company that has won the name of a reliable company both in Lithuania and in many European countries. Modern glass cutting and storing system Hegla, insulated glass units (IGU) assembling lines Lisec, Bystronic and Buxtrup, the automated production planning software, masters of highest qualification, competitive prices allow us to feel strong in the architectural glass market.

At the present time the Company specialises in two directions. The first one is mass production of glass units for PVC and wooden windows manufacturers.

Double and triple IGU with thermal insulation glass prevail here; also many products with safety glass are 48 |

IGU production in process

Photo: Paulius Gasiūnas

Photo: Paulius Gasiūnas

Boras hedin bil autocenter in Sweden

Karlskrona hogskola in Sweden

manufactured, modern “warm edge” plastic spacers are widely used.

The other direction is complicated and large volume projects. We manufacture IGU of different size and complexity, which satisfy the requirements of a different level of safety, energy saving, protection against solar energy, sound insulation or even fire-protection.

In Lithuania, we have implemented the most modern projects of architects in the largest cities: sports and wellness centre Ąžuolynas, Car Centre Peugeot, the first building of Hanner offices and others. We take great pride in business centre Europa – the project of the tallest commercial building in the Baltic States.

After 2009, when Lithuanian construction business slowed considerably due to the crisis, the Company successfully reoriented itself to the export market – large projects have been carried out and are currently being implemented in Sweden, Denmark and Norway: car centre Hedin Bil Boras, the University of Oslo, the hotel Radisson Blu Goteborg and many others. It is gratifying that the majority of interesting projects have been carried out in co-operation with the facade manufacturing companies from Lithuania, which have a good reputation in the Scandinavian countries.

www.skpstiklas.lt

Office center EUROPA | 49

TOMALDRAS

UAB is the company, which has been carrying out construction works for 10 years already. It operates not only in Lithuania but also in other European countries. The Company seeks to fully satisfy expectations of its customers and to make an impression by the quality of performed works.

Long experience of the Company allows it to propose the most optimal solutions to its customers, to adapt itself to specific needs of the customers, to ensure the highest quality and the maximum speed of works. Qualified employees guarantee a high level of culture of perfomed works and a high-quality final result.

Key business fields of TOMALDRAS UAB: • Construction and renovation works of buildings; • Construction of frame houses; • Reed roofs; • Environmental monitoring and management; • Consultations on all construction management issues.

We offer excellent quality at a reasonable price. We look forward to pleasant cooperation.

www.tomaldras.eu

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Do you want a completely new look or just to refresh your current style?

SostinEs baldai are ready to help you.

All our departemnets are ready to make and produce exclusive exciting projects for your unique space.

We provide our services all over the Europe.

We guarantee good quality, price and your good mood.

sostinesbaldai.lt | 51

T

he company, which is celebrating the 15th anniversary of its existence this year, was founded by the architect and project manager Algimantas Černiauskas.

Three architects and two constructors work there. # architecture • designing of public, commercial, industrial buildings and dwelling houses • author’s and technical supervision # urbanism • general territorial planning • special territorial planning • detailed territorial planning # consultations on all issues related to designing of buildings or territorial planning

Algimantas Černiauskas’ architecture studio “a&u” Statybinių ir apdailos medžiagų salonas Šiauliuose.

Interjero fragmentas

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Customers of the studio are not only such private companies as Vičiūnai Group, private company Baltishes Haus UAB, Senasis dvaras UAB, Maxit UAB, Sanitex UAB, Skuba UAB, Iris UAB, Bodesa UAB, Rėkyva AB, but also the following state enterprises: the Administration of Šiauliai City Municipality, Administrations of Radviliškis, Joniškis districts, the Communications Regulatory Authority of the Republic of Lithuania.

archistudija.webs.com

Building material market in Šiauliai

Commercial building "Norfa"

Cinema "Laikas" in Šiauliai

Commercial building "IKI"

Apartment house with cottages in Šiauliai

Commercial building

Interior of the marketplace

Šiauliai central marketplace Photo by Kęstutis Fedirka

Facade of Šiauliai central marketplace

Fish processing factory in Plungė

Fish processing factory in Plungė

Fish processing factory in Plungė

| 53

Do you long for cosy surroundings?

Masters of Jonastata will build a log house, a sauna, an arbour and a children‘s playground fast and qualitatively from round debarked saw logs and will manufacture outdoor furniture from ash or oak wood.

We produce shingles and planks for roofs.

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www.jonostata.lt

The partner that has stood the test of time is a

“Reliable partner”

T

he name Aulaukis UAB has been known in the Lithuanian and foreign market since 1994. It is one of the largest window, door, shop-window, balcony glazing systems and one of the largest com-

panies manufacturing winter gardens, roofs, structures from plastic and aluminium, fire windows and doors, and frameless glass structures in Lithuania. Also, the Company is engaged in designing, measuring, product

supervision activities and construction work jointly with other companies.

Wide work experience enables us to present a professionally designed and qualitatively manufactured product. The Company cooperates closely with famous concerns in Western Europe and in its production process uses exclusively certified plastic and aluminium profiles, fittings, glass packages and completing materials that have CE marking. Products of Aulaukis meet the EU requirements, are durable, ecological and are noted for heat and energy saving properties.

Highly qualified employees and a modern technological base allow original solutions of architects to be carried out in manufacturing products of different colours, shapes and measurements, as well as orders of large sizes to be fulfilled.

The Company offers its customers creative technical solutions, presents an economic and energetic substantiation of the solutions, as well as presents innovations in manufacture of windows and doors. Aulaukis can provide each customer with a complete package of services – from preparing the design to the final installation and supervision of products.

Systematic investments in equipment, facilities and technologies enable the Company to meet the highest technical requirements.

The Company has been certified according to the requirements of standards ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004.

Constantly introducing the most advanced window and door manufacturing technologies, investing in facilities, equipment and personnel qualification, Aulaukis won the name of a reliable manufacturer. This is also testified to by the motto of the Company – “A reliable partner”. Attention to quality and meeting the customer’s needs enable Aulaukis to have representations and partners in many cities and towns of Lithuania.

Products of Aulaukis are exported to such European countries as Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the United Kingdom.

Therefore you have the possibility to receive products of high quality from the Company Aulaukis too.

www.aulaukis.lt | 55

We are creating the future

P

rivate Company Aldeva UAB is a Lithuanian capital company, one of the rapidly developing manufacturing companies in Lithuania. The Company started its activities in 1993, and in 2008 the plant of the Company was completely renewed, state-of-the-art technologies were introduced and facilities encompassing the whole cycle of manufacture of metal structures were computerised; also, a complex production accounting software enabling stages of production to be planned and equipment to be controlled was introduced.

Novelties of this technology are one of the most important steps in seeking to ensure the quality of production to the maximum.

Aldeva UAB is known not only in Lithuania but also beyond its borders. The Company was one of the first in Lithuania to have started exporting HSQ beams to the Scandinavian countries.

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Principles and advantages A flexible price policy. Complex work, principles of our specialists with each customer and mutual co-operation is the guarantee of providing services of high quality. Our advantages are a wide spectrum of tasks: from designing to the implementation of the project. In the course of long years considerable experience has been gained in the sphere of designing large projects and production. Industrial areas enable us to manufacture structures of large dimensions.

Co-operation Due to high quality production being manufactured and realisation of all set objectives, the majority of our new customers become regular ones. The largest Lithuanian and Norwegian industrial and construction companies are among our main customers.

Our production Structures of industrial buildings. The following main structures of buildings are manufactured at our Company: trusses, columns, beams, braces, girders, stair stringers. Klaipėda NORFA, Klaipėdos mediena AB, Druskininkai skiing arena “Snow arena” and others chose our Company to manufacture steel structures.

Built-up beams. In 2008, to meet the customers’ needs, the Company acquired a plasma and gas sheet metal cutting machine (12 m x 3 m), which provides the Company with the possibility to manufacture high-quality 12-meter structures from sheet steel of different complexity. Our Company constantly manufactures large quantities of built-up girders HSQ for the Norwegian market. During the recent years such objects as Miele factory, trading centre REMA1000, health centre DOMUS MEDICA and other have been built in Norway.

Safety traffic railings. A large amount of our products is intended for safety of people and transport. Bridge and viaduct railings, noise suppression and reduction panels mounted between the highway and settlements. The products are manufactured according to the EU standards. Highlyqualified specialists will help resolve issues related to designing and mounting noise barrier panels and safety railings.

Manufacturing technologies: Cutting, shot blasting, assembling, zinc plating, manufacturing.

Plasma cutting of structures and stainless steel sheets is carried out by means of MGM cutting machine with Hyperterm power supply.

• Measurements of the sheets being cut are 3000 mm x 12000 mm • Plasma cutting is used for sheets from 2,5 mm to 38 mm thickness • Gas cutting is used for sheets from 12 to 300 mm thickness • The cutting speed reaches 9000 mm/min • Contours and holes with a high degree of precision are formed • Possibility to correct unevenness of the sheet surface.

Cutting of metal profiles at different angles.

Cleaning of different metal articles, sheets and structures by means of automatic abrasive flow cleaning device. The following classes of cleanness of the surface of elements are achieved: Sa-1, Sa-2, Sa-2½, Sa3, according to ISO 8501-1 requirements.

The maximum dimensions of the product being cleaned are as follows: 12 m x 2,5 m x 0,5 m, the cleaning speed reaches 2,5 m2/min. The qualitatively cleaned surface ensures durable anticorrosive adhesion of coatings with the surface of the metal.

Assembling of elements is carried out on highly accurate tables. Due to these tables, as well as the completing parts, it is possible to assemble a special construction with a minimum error – 0,5 mm on 14 metres.

Maximum measurements are as follows: 14 metres in length, 12 metres in width, and 3.5 metres high.

Welding of elements by the most advanced EWM Phoenix welding devices.

Priming, painting of elements is performed in the chamber SciTeex. The measurements of the chamber are 4 m x 3 m x 12 m. Drying temperatures of the chamber reach 800 C. Painted structures are suitable to be exploited in spaces attributed to environment corrosivity category C1 to C5.

www.aldeva.lt

Metallization by zinc spraying Today electrocurved metallization by zinc spraying is the only and universal method of protecting materials against corrosion.

Electrocurved metallization with zinc spraying is used in building bridges, reservoirs, ships, road railings, hangers, etc.

Maximum dimensions of the product being zinced are as follows: 12 m x 2,5 m x 0,5 m. | 57

REGIONAL LEADER IN GLASS BUSINESS Guartis AB has been counting its history since 1965 after sheet glass production started. A rich story the company's development proves it is an experienced producer that satisfies the market demands and requirements.

The Company's production process meets ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 requirements and all products meet European regulations. The quality was evaluated by „National quality award” received in December 2011.

Arena house in Šiauliai (customer - PST)

Hotel in Druskininkai (customer - Hronas)

A

pprox. 75 percent of the company’s products are exported to the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Czech Republic, Germany, Russia, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia. In 2011, the Company was granted the „Export award” of the Lithuanian Chamber of Commerce, industry and crafts for the results achieved in the field of export.

Tempered glass Flat tempered glass offered by Guartis AB has mechanical resistance which is 5-7 times higher than of annealed glass of the same thickness. Due to these qualities it is intended for glass parts in buildings, furniture, interior parts, household appliances where safety is particularly significant.

During the initial phase of production glass is processed mechanically (cut, holes are drilled, the edges are processed, silk-print is put, etc.) and only after that it is put into a tempering furnace to gain resistance to impact and high temperature.

Glass sheets can be tested in the Heat Soak chamber, which eliminates spontaneous cracking.

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Bank office in Vilnius (customer - Hronas)

Laminated tempered flat glass Depending on the assumed field of application and function of laminated glass offered by Guartis AB, it is composed of at least two panes of glass joined either

by EVASAFE (ethyl-vinyl-acetyl) film or PVB foil.

Laminated glass is of high impact resistance due to foil placed between the panes - separation of the pane in the event of breakage is impossible, thus minimising the risk of injury. Composition of different types of foils and glass makes construction material safe in the places where safety both of human and property are of high importance. Laminated glass also offers a wide range of decoration possibilities.

Insulating glass units The ability to join different types of glass into an insulating glass unit enables manufacturing many different products with different features. Insulating glass units could be applied where it is necessary to ensure security of people and objects (laminated glass, laminated safety glass, strengthened glass, bullet-proof or fireproof glass can be completed into IGU), thermal protection (low-emission glass and noble gas (argon)

Office house in Kijev (customer - Zavod Steklopaketov i Architekturnogo Stekla)

filling in one or two chambers ensures energy savings and lower costs of heating rooms in winter and cooling them in summer), protection against the solar radiation.

In 2002, the Company was granted a certificate of Company Dow Corning that proves that Guartis AB has technical possibilities as well as skills to produce insulating glass units for structural glazing.

Guartis AB produces a number of special products – bullet-proof glass and bent laminated glass for vehicles.

Bullet-proof flat glass It is highly important to ensure safety of property and people against armed robbery at public offices, banks, shops, flats as well as in vehicles. In those places bullet-proof glass plays quite a significant role while protecting people under different conditions againts bullets of a gun.

Bullet-proof glass is produced by joining some glass sheets by means of PVB foil and then treating such glass units thermally.

Guartis AB has experience in producing bullet-proof glass of different thickness.

Bent laminated glass for vehicles The Company produces serial windscreens but the main focus is special projects for glass for different land and water transport. The Company’s experience of manufacturing bent laminated articles exceeds 20 years.

Clear glass containers and jars Besides a wide range of the above mentioned glass products Guartis AB offers the most advanced flint glass packaging solutions. The Company relies on many years of its international manufacturing experience in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage bottles and jars.

info@guartis.lt | 59

Log&Timber architecture: harmonious, aesthetic and eco-friendly living

I

n the course of two decades of existence of the architect Tomas Kupriūnas’ studio much has changed – the socio-economic situation of the country, the customers’ needs, building materials, and the most important thing – man’s attitude to the surrounding environment. That was the road of searches and discoveries.

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Tendencies towards eco-friendly lifestyle that are gaining in popularity are also observed in the construction of individual houses. Today the customers find such things as the way the building is placed on the plot of land of great importance – whether there are tectonic processes, geological fractures, underground water bodies and beam radiations, what impact

building materials used will have on health, rather than functional features of a house.

Long-term observations of interaction between nature and man are established in the world outlook of many nations concerning building, constructions and their installation. For example, on the basis of oriental Vaastu and feng shui systems, a dwelling is a live organism that is in contact with energies of eight directions of the compass and breathes energy. Local natural building materials as though “join” the environment by means of energy streams. And materials that are foreign to that environment are in discord with the surrounding environment.

Energy streams of buildings become negative, and people who live and work in these building feel discomfort.

One of the most developed spheres of design of the Company is wooden log

buildings. Wood is perfect material for implementing architectural ideas. It has been used and appreciated since olden times because it is natural, eco-friendly and creates a feeling of cosiness. Wood is ideal material when building houses of different styles – from ethnic-style to luxury houses. When designing we always keep balance between the vision of the customer, his/her unique needs and financial resources and between the conditions dictated by the construction site, harmonious proportions of the building and functional logic.

When designing a wooden log house we base ourselves on two principles. The first one is irreproachable interdisciplinary knowledge about the properties of wood/ logs, technical characteristics, and the creation of the vision of utilitarian perspectives. The second principle is none the less important. It is designing of a feeling of

close relationship with the environment in which the house will stand, and the symbiosis of architectural and constructional elements of both the exterior and the interior of the house with aesthetics.

This perception of the synthesis of technology and feelings is developed in the architect’ studio owing to constant direct personal experience.

Following the method of golden section we design a harmonious relation of buildings with man and the surrounding environment, and we seek to create favourable conditions for life, recreation and work.

www.architectstudio.lt | 61

Stiklo paslaptis UAB was established in 2004, following the best traditions of Lithuanian glassblowing production. It is a strong and modern decorative glass producing basis which produces only the highest quality articles while applying a great variety of glass manufacturing possibilities.

The employees of the studio are highly experienced glassblowers and educated artists窶電esigners.

The company actively participates in exhibitions and trade fairs not only in Lithuania, but also all over Europe. We provide a great possibility to develop your imagination, therefore we offer: consultation of professional artists and designers; the creation of desired product according to your requests and needs; commercial collaboration.

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HAND MADE GLASS ARTICLES

Interior details Table accessories Skulpture Prizes

| 63

Greta

Arnas

Dmitrij

Egidijus Gintarė

Neringa Simas

Team of artists aspiring to implement new ideas Sjlux

is an informal group of young designers, architects, artists and like-minded people of different ages and from all walks of life, who work together to conduct different projects and take an active part in international architecture, design and photography competitions. Since its establishment in 2011, the team has been commissioned to carry out a number of design and architectural projects.

The author of the sjlux team is an architect and designer Saulius Jusionis, a lecturer at Klaipeda Department of Visual Design of Vilnius Academy of Arts (VAA). The founder of the team himself graduated from Vilnius Institute of Art (the current VAA) in 1982 and was awarded a master’s degree in architecture. After completing his studies, Saulius Jusionis gained valuable experience in conducting several projects together with professor Vytautas Čekanauskas, the only academic in the Baltic States working in the field at that time. From 1988 to 1992 Saulius Jusionis lived in Munich and worked for several prominent design and architecture companies providing exhibition design services. Later, he moved to Toronto, where he started making collages to illustrate books and also advanced his knowledge of serigraphy at George Brown College. From 1997 to 2010 Saulius Jusionis lived and worked in Santa Monica, California. In the course of time, he set up his own company SJ-Design, which provided private home and interior design services. Since 2010, the architect and designer has been living and working in Klaipeda, Lithuania.

While lecturing at Klaipeda Department of Visual Design of VAA, Saulius Jusionis has observed that young artists do not have good conditions for free artistic activity and lack opportunities to interact with established artists. Therefore, in the spring 2012 a design and architecture studio sjlux group was opened in the Old Town of Klaipeda. In the studio, the group of artists enhance their knowledge of design and architecture and broaden their experience. Each member of the group gets an opportunity to work freely and use all the equipment in the studio as well as to engage not only in collective but also in individual artistic activity. Consequently, sjlux has become the perfect space for young people to implement their ideas.

The studio exhibits team members’ projects, sketches and various design works. Friends, colleagues and acquaintances often come round to talk to the artists, discuss news, consult about architecture, interior and graphic design.

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More than 30 years of experience of living and working in foreign countries have enabled Saulius Jusionis to take a broader view of a young artist. He believes that for a young person not only the physical environment is important (in the studio, the artists can work 24 hours a day), but so is knowledge gained from all over the world.

The group members have already participated in a number of architecture, photography, industrial and graphic design competitions held in different countries: Help Japan, You Fab 2012, Time to Design (Denmark), Young Designer’s Prize, The Conqueror Typographic Games 2012, CTBUH International Student Tall Building Design Competition 2012 Shanghai, Gender Equality Now! (Poster for Tomorrow), To Be Human 2012 (Denmark, AIPS), Tomorrow Poster Competition 2012 (Welformat), World Standards Day 2012, Energy Efficiency International Poster Competition 2012, Braun Prize 2012, Spring in My House.

In the international competition Dunlop Art Car Competition 2012 a group member Egidijus Gužauskas (known under the pseudonym Bimok) took first place. He created a graphic design for a sports car,

Julius Einarsas. International architecture competition in Shanghai "CTBUH International Tall Building Competition". Project "New symbol of Hong Kong"

Gintarė Aršėnaitė, Neringa Martinėnaitė.

International poster competition "World Standrads Day 2012" (Switzerland)

Arnas Bitinas.

International poster competition "Poster for tomorrow"

Arnas Bitinas.

International poster competition "Help Japan" Arnas Bitinas. International design competition "Time to Design" (Denmark)

Proposal logo for "Culture Factory" (former tobacco factory in Klaipeda)

the Ferrari 458 Italia, which competed in the most famous car race in the world, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

At the moment, sjlux are working on an architectural competition project Casablanca Sustainable Market Square.

At the international competition "Dunlop Art Car Competition 2012" (France) the member of group Egidijus Gužauskas won first place from 175 entrants

The hard core of the sjlux team comprises its founder Saulius Jusionis, Arnas Bitinas, Simas Stonkus, Neringa Martinėnaitė, Dmitrij Gorenko, Egidijus Gužauskas, Gintarė Aršėnaitė and Greta Šiuparytė.

There is no rigid framework in the team; everything depends on the idea being developed. In the studio, everyone becomes equal–one’s status such as student, alumnus or lecturer simply disappear.

www.sjlux.com | 65

JEWELRY THAT TELLS NICE STORIES… Nowadays millions of items are mass produced, over and over, until finally they are forgotten and replaced with others. That is why it is so important to make a personal statement in order to stand out from everything else.

Jewelry, which can speak a mysterious sign language full of allusions, symbols and hidden sense…

That is YURGA is the leading brand of exclusive, original jewelry created by one of Lithuania’s top designers, Jurga Lago. Born into a jeweller’s family, her artworks are distinguished for their mastery of technique, the tradition and a refined innovative design. Her accessories are often multi-functional: rings consisting of several parts, pendants turning into brooches, necklaces that can be made into bracelets. Jurga Lago has been creating jewellery for fifteen years and has become successful not only in her homeland but also abroad. She has had a great Pendant “Garden”

Brooch “Baby Bird” 66 |

Pendant “Fern Ring”

Ring “Discover”

Pendant “Heart”

Pendant “Dreamcatcher”

Earrings “Being together”

Pendant with little flies

number of exhibitions and projects in Lithuania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, England, Australia and the USA. Her ingenious designs and craftwomanship, her attention to quality and detail and her devotion to her art, give the YURGA brand both style and depth of character.

Brand YURGA offers the elite line of luxury jewelry called “Yurga de Luxe”, another line offers high quality jewelry made of silver, decorated with gold, semi - precious stones and amber. Special children’s “Birdday” jewelry line with adorable style and breath- taking design.

YURGA accessories stand out from the crowd.

Their frequent touches of subtle humour and irony, symbolism and hidden meanings are concisely crafted, rendering the pieces beautiful lightness - complete but not excessive. They are free spirited in their modern approach and form, mature in their elegance and wisdom. Each piece is a unique statement of refined simplicity and timeless sophistication, uniting a quintessential contemporary touch with traditional crafted art.

YURGA pieces reach across all generations - they have an unrestrained attitude.

Well known people who wear her jewellery are as follows: Princess Letizia of Asturias, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton.

Ring “Crown”

Pendant “Adam and Eve”

It should be noted that the symbol of the brand is a small, light bird figure symbolizing freedom and joy of life, which goes well with it’s motto: “PURE BEAUTY LIVES IN SIMPLICITY”.

Pendant “Nest”

www.yurga.lt

Earrings “Birds” | 67

Mummymoon.

Founder of the brand Ieva Juodelytė and the manager Vėjūnė Unikauskienė

It‘s businness born together with a baby

our collections, three showrooms in different countries within a year is success that Ieva Juodelytė, the founder of the “mummymmon” brand, never dreamed of, bearing in mind the feat that she started her business by showing the children’s wear she was making to a close circle of her Facebook friends.

the way and everyday joy turned a pleasant hobby into her lifestyle and even philosophy. Today Ieva and her team – daughter Domicelė and son Rapolas, and Ieva’s friend Vėjūnė with her daughter Elzė – present modern, unusual and simply different fashion for children designed in mummymoon style.

When Ieva started designing clothes she did not realize how successful she would become. But a second baby on

Leaving the interior design and film management behind and turning their life perspectives into personal business, young

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mothers have taken a brave step into new experience – to design clothes for children and women. The newcomers to the fashion world have pleasantly surprised a number of fashion professionals in Europe. “When support to what we were doing started coming not only from our close ones but also from the organizers of Playtime Paris, the main children’s fashion trade show worldwide, we understood that we could not stop”, says Vėjūnė Unikauskienė, the manager of “Mummymoon”. Mummy-

moon designs were first appreciated by a Japanese Company that purchased the whole collection and sought for distributor’s rights. We have lots of fans in Lithuania, the Scandinavian countries, Japan and South Korea. “People like our clothes because of their desirable and wearable designs, and also business philosophy behind the brand. We do not create just to become rich, we do not have deadlines. Our priority in life is our children. Business with all its ideas comes in second. We dream to design

mummymoon clothes from eco-friendly materials so that people could feel freedom of creativity that we have put into our designs”, says Ieva.

Priority number one is their still very young children, therefore Ieva and Vėjūnė do not call themselves businesswomen yet. “We are a bit naive and we want to rebel (and sometimes we are lucky!) against typical advertising and marketing patterns of business because we believe that in business it

is also possible to speak from the heart”, “Mummymoon” designers say with a smile on their face.

To learn more about “Mummymoon” please visit www.mummymoon.com | 69

Giedrė Bardzilauskė lives and works in Vilnius. She graduated from Vilnius Academy of Arts and got a Bachelor’s and Master’s in ceramics. The artist brings the symbols in her works that became banal or forgotten ‘into the light’ and they are certainly dislodged out of the margins of ‘solid life’ in our everyday. However, those symbols become important for us from time to time.

The artist often chooses contrasting, irritating forms, colors, images to affect people with different feelings: frailty and greatness, delicacy and extravagancy. The atrist’s works make you doubt everything you see, hold your interest with stylistics, profundity of message, meaning and reality aspects: on the one hand ceramic objects of Giedre look very daily, banal and pompous, on the other hand - sentimental, romantic or ironic.

Since influence of pop art is dominant on many aspects of Lithuanian youngest ceramicists’ creation, naturally Giedre’s activity is not an exception. She uses this stylistic in order to express emotional and social (sometimes even grotesque) relation with environment.

Furthermore, we can find nostalgia for childhood and honest feelings in the atrist’s works.

For example, sculptular images of cheerfully dancing or sadly sitting teddies not only impersonate youthful optimism or sadness, but also charms with the expressive solution of its decor and form.

The works of G. Bardzilauske are unique in the context of Lithuanian ceramics with its distinctive motives, artistic suggestibility and abundance of interpretations. All her works contain aesthetical and existential meanings. giedre.giedra@gmail.com 70 || 70