We don't want to brag but it may seem like that sometimes. It is the opposite. This article is primarily a thank you, because you, our customers, helped us exceed the thirty-year milestone last year since you bought the first bulb from us lit up in one of the households in the Czech Republic. Or was it not a bulb? You will read about that in the next paragraph. Either way, we've come a long way with you. In time and space. Donoci have expanded, over the years and decades, beyond the borders of our beautiful country. How did it all happen? Turn on your lamp and come on an adventurous journey with us.
1991, that's where it all started
It was the year 1991. The Czech Republic was still part of Czechoslovakia at the time, and Jaromír Jágr, today 50 years old, reached the Stanley Cup in his first year in the NHL. It was also the year in which the band Nirvana recorded their most famous album Nevermind (yes, the one on which a baby in the water is reaching for a dollar bill). In the same year, Jiří Mánek had the idea of creating a company with the business intention of selling ceramics, glass, and porcelain. And it was really like that for the next five years. Then another fateful year, 1996, came. Jiří Mánek and his company decided to start importing lights into the, then independent, Czech Republic and selling them. And they did it well!
In 2003, another challenge came. There was such a demand for the company's products that it was necessary to move a little further, and therefore they entered large Czech stores with their goods. When the company became an adult, in 2009, it celebrated its entry into the Czech e-shop market and so it got a bit further to you, the end customers. Then it all happened at once. In 2017, Jiří Mánek, who until then had been in business as a natural person, decided to change the name to Donoci s.r.o., as you know it now. Only a year later came another novelty - the sale of its own brand under the name Brigali. And the same year is, for Donoci s.r.o., also important because of entering the worldwide Amazon portal.
We are expanding and modernizing
As the demand for our goods has grown and with the further expansion of the range, the need for more warehouse space has gradually increased in recent years. Investing in a new warehouse has proved to be a logical strategic step. In October 2023 a warehouse hall with an area of over 9,000 sqm and a new hall for 4,500 pallets with a height of 19 m were completed and they both will give the company a substantial increase in warehouse space, allowing it to maintain higher inventory and respond faster to demand.
Not only that, along with an increase in storage capacity, Lamps4sale has also implemented the new system mySTOCK® WMS (Warehouse Management System) by the Kvados a.s. company that can optimize warehouse processes with the help of AI and machine learning. The automation will help to improve the process of picking goods and preparing them for the journey to the customer. The customers can then enjoy their orders earlier.
We shine in 25 European countries
We promised that we will not take you only through time but also through space. Right now, Donoci products shine in 25 European countries. To give you an idea, this is almost the same number as the number of current members of the European Union (27). And where can you find us? We are not 100% copying the European Union, but the list is long. For example, in 2015, only seven years ago, we were "only" in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland. You can see which other countries have joined over time in the picture below: Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Austria, Italy, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Slovenia, Croatia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Denmark, Portugal, Ukraine, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, Greece.
Visionaries and hard workers - who stands behind Donoci s.r.o.?
The flawless functioning of the company and the ability to grow consistently are undoubtedly prerequisites for success. Equally important, however, are our employees. The true founder, Jiří Mánek Sr., was joined in 2009 by his two sons, Lukáš and Jiří Mánek Jr. But we cannot overlook the contributions of all our other employees. Since 2015, when we had 65 employees, their ranks have grown to around 300 employees who contribute to the company's operations. To each and every one of them, we express our gratitude for their dedication and hard work.
Also thanks to its employees, Lamps4sale now belongs to well-known companies in the e-commerce world, which, in addition to thousands of positive reviews from satisfied customers, is proven by the company’s repeated inclusion in the rankings of the European digital world leaders.
Our highlights
4,000,000 successful orders processed
220 brands being sold
50,000 types of products available
21,000 square meters of warehouse space
2,000,000 products in stock
A little bit of sentiment for the end
We left the most important from the statistics and the message for the end. Millions of you have already ordered our products at least once. And we will let you know our vision. To sum it up in a few words, our vision is your satisfaction. And of course, we will be happy if you come back to our e-shop again while browsing the internet and add our products to the cart. And we want to ask you for one more thing. Ask, write, call. The path of improvement leads through the feedback from you. We are glad to get the feedback. And in return, we promise that we will do everything, in the coming years, to make your home (not only) shine nicely.
Your Donoci team
Paulina