The magic of a Croatian company’s innovative cleaning products

Zagreb-based Studio Nine was not new to the cleaning products space. The company, led by Ruža Slivar, had to compete fiercely for a while with other producers until they started thinking about adding real value to their product range.

That’s when the idea to develop Magic Cleaner, a biodegradable, alcohol free-solution that could stand out in the market, came to life – a product that not only cleans effectively but also prioritises sustainability and environmental responsibility.

This approach is ground-breaking: assigning the same importance to cleaning efficiency as well as environmental protection. And the demand responded accordingly. Soon enough, consumers were acknowledging the biodegradable properties of Magic Cleaner. This was just the starting point of an international journey.

The sky’s the limit

The path to international expansion has had its fair share of challenges. It was clear to Ruža that they needed strategic guidance and support to achieve the necessary contacts and knowledge. The reality is you can have a good product, but that is not all that matters in the business arena.

As a result, he turned to the Croatian Chamber of Commerce. At their suggestion, Studio Nine joined the European Enterprise Network, something that Ruža feels now was a breakthrough moment for the company.

"There, within a few weeks, we had an opportunity for business cooperation, which we eventually realised. These were the beginnings of our entry into foreign markets, which had a great role and positive impact on our overall business," noted Ruža.

The collaboration also involved access to a wealth of resources and networking opportunities that were crucial for the international trajectory that Studio Nine has today. Guided by Tina Pahić from the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, they harnessed the Business Cooperation Database tool provided by the Network to forge a transformative partnership with EMEA Ltd. from Slovenia.

She remembers it very well. "Studio Nine contacted us for the first time in May 2021, and that’s when we started the process of publishing the entrepreneurial profile on the European Enterprise Network database," said Tina. "At that time, turnover and employment were relatively good, but there were no exports."

After publishing the profile at the beginning of July of the same year, it took only 6 days for the company EMEA d.o.o. from Slovenia to contact them, with whom a successful business cooperation was eventually achieved. As the present-day success of the company bears witness, this was the beginning of the export process, which was further expanded later.

The days after that first step

Ruža describes the experience with the Network as a fruitful one. Not only were they contacted just a few days after setting up their profile, but several constructive meetings that followed were instrumental to upping their international game.

"The first step is the hardest and most important. The support of the European Enterprise Network was that step which served as an introduction to all other activities on foreign markets, which then were much easier, because we already had the experience," said Ruža.

International expansion went into the fast lane for Studio Nine, unlocking new markets and avenues for growth. Tina added that today the company is much more developed compared to the period before they collaborated with the Network. "That means their turnover and profitability have increased. Their market expanded into other countries, so the profile was the trigger for starting exports," she said.

Paradoxically, Studio Nine did not increase the number of employees much, because the production processes were automated. That meant increasing the volume of production and sales with low labour costs.

Looking ahead, Studio Nine is ambitious and optimistic. The Croatian company aims to solidify its position as a global leader in the ecological cleaning products market. Because of their presence in several European markets, further business in other countries is to be expected. Armed with the experience and expertise gained through their collaboration with Enterprise Europe Network, Studio Nine is looking forward to continued success and exponential growth in the years to come.

After the first international experience, they started crafting exclusive brands with partners such as Croatian Telecom (Deutsche Telekom), Shimadzu and Optika ANDA, among others. Also, they have launched the MC Antifog Set, meeting the increased demand during the pandemic for preventing fog on glass and plastic surfaces – and demand continues to grow.

Backed by the Network, Studio Nine is planning its entry to the Middle East.

Reading the story of this Croatian company, you could wonder if this expansion was a consequence of some sort of magic. The reality is that collaboration, good product and the right partner are other ways to incite a magician’s skills when it comes to thriving in business.