Moscow-based Leber confirms status of a reliable manufacturer with the Made in Russia certificate

Leber, a Russian manufacturer of children's play and sports equipment, has got the Made in Russia certificates of conformity for its key products, including swings, carousels, slides, play complexes and unique scientific playgrounds.

Company representatives note that the Made in Russia certificate is an additional business tool confirming status of Russian manufacturer in the international arena.

"The certificate is an iron rod in dialogue with foreign partners, especially when reaching new markets. In such conditions, it is extremely important to demonstrate the transparency of the company's activities and official status from the very beginning, and the Made in Russia allows you to do this quickly and convincingly. The presence of this mark helps speed up transition from acquaintance to negotiations, serving as a quick test for trust. This recognizable mark reduces potential skepticism among new partners, especially during official meetings, since it is perceived as a recommendation from the state, confirming that the company has passed the test, is really engaged in production in Russia and is a reliable partner. In the conditions of high international competition, such a clear and recognizable mark of distinction plays a key role, helping to strengthen the position of the company and its products abroad," Igor Shapovalov, Marketing Director, Leber.

Leber began its activity in 2010, focusing on comfortable and safe urban environment: playgrounds and sports grounds, public spaces. The first significant project was the improvement of the territory for the oncology children's clinic on Leninsky Prospekt in Moscow. This turned out to be a serious test, which the start-up coped with: the team demonstrated its capabilities and immediately after successful completion concluded a large city contract for the installation of 70 playgrounds in the Babushkinsky District.

Since 2022, Leber has been actively developing a completely new activity, which is manufacturing scientific playgrounds for children. Such playgrounds, developed in close cooperation with scientists from Moscow State University, offer children the opportunity to combine physical activities with simple but incredibly exciting scientific experiments.

After many years of successful work in the domestic market, in 2022, Leber made a strategic decision to go abroad. The first steps were taken in the EAEU countries, but the real breakthrough occurred in 2023 when reaching the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa). This was supported by Russian Export Center (REC, part of VEB.RF) and My Export platform services.

"We have been actively working with REC since 2023 and we see real results of this support. Thanks to the REC's assistance, we were able to enter international markets through business missions, exhibitions and industry forums. The business mission format has proven to be especially effective: REC not only helps to form a pool of relevant partners and organize meetings in the target region, but also arranges logistics and infrastructure. This allows us to hold dozens of valuable business meetings in a short period of time and gain a deep understanding of the market. In addition, REC provided us with methodological and organizational support on such important issues as documentation, logistics and taxation. This comprehensive approach has significantly simplified our path to new foreign markets," Igor Shapovalov.

Thanks to cooperation with REC, Leber has presented its products to potential partners from thirteen countries. Projects have already been implemented in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco and Uzbekistan. The company is actively expanding the geography of deliveries, focusing on the Persian Gulf countries and planning to enter the Latin American markets in the future.

An important step to gain a foothold on the MENA markets was the adaptation of products and a large body of technical documentation, catalogues and websites into English and Arabic languages. Certification issues also arose. In 2023, Leber opened a sales office and warehouse in Dubai, which allowed it to switch to an "in stock" system and significantly speed up order fulfillment compared to competitors. Later, a back office was added to the sales department, including translators, logisticians and specialists in regulatory documentation and certification, which ensured stable work with a growing number of foreign clients.

Adapting materials to a hot climate proved to be a more complex task. In cooperation with suppliers, long-term tests of various types of wood, plastics, ropes and metal coatings were carried out on a specially created test site. All characteristics were assessed: from UV resistance to color fading and overheating of elements, while preserving an acceptable cost. As a result, the most suitable types of wood, coatings and processing methods were selected. For example, modern plastic began to be used for slide slopes as an alternative to stainless steel that heats up in the sun.

“Today, Leber is an ecosystem consisting of various companies that are engaged in the development, production and installation of children's play and sports equipment in Russia and abroad, furniture manufacturing, fulfillment services for sellers and suppliers, professional cargo transportation and high-tech solutions for production facilities and companies,” Igor Shapovalov.

Russian Export Center (REC, VEB.RF Group) is a state institution that supports non-resource, non-energy export. It provides companies from various industries with both financial and non-financial assistance at all stages of entering international markets, including within the framework of the International Cooperation and Export project. The REC Group also includes EXIAR, EXIMBANK OF RUSSIA and the School of Export. Most of REC services are available online on My Export state digital platform