With support from USAID, Ecosoft, a Ukrainian producer of water purification equipment, is now able to expand its range of products, create 26 new jobs, and reach the pre-war production volumes. Through Economic Resilience Activity (ERA), USAID provided two new injection molding machines which manufacture water filters and their accompanying disposable cartridges.
Ecosoft’s facilities are located in Irpin, Kyiv Oblast and when Russia brutally invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the company’s production and storage facilities were shelled and partially destroyed. After the missiles damaged the equipment, Ecosoft was only able to restart the production of one type of water filter pitcher instead of a wide range of pre-war products. As a result, the company’s production volume fell by three times, and the sales decreased by more than two times the regular volume.
With a grant from ERA (USD 426,236.92), the company was able to purchase new equipment in January 2024 and will start manufacturing products in mid-February 2024. Ecosoft plans to expand its range of water filter pitchers and disposable cartridges.
“Our goal is to ensure every Ukrainian has access to simple and effective methods of water purification” says Yuriy Chechailiuk, Ecosoft’s Director of Operations. “Our production facilities were largely destroyed during the active phase of war. However, thanks to the support of our partners and the well–coordinated work of our employees our company continues to increase production capacities and provide customers with high quality products.”
In the summer of 2022, ERA also supported EcoSoft in developing a production flow model for the company as part of the USAID ERA initiative launched to ensure sustainable operations of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) relocating business operations throughout Ukraine. With ERA’s help, the company could optimize the warehouse space by 20 percent and reduce the use of packaging significantly. ERA specialists also developed options for the layout of the new production facility, drafted a business plan, financial plan, and sales plan, and selected grant programs for scaling up production.
Ecosoft is the lead producer of water purification equipment in Ukraine. They have 200 employees and export products to 60 countries worldwide.