Rita Soares
Sérgio Rodrigues
Rui Marçal
CEO of KUC Kitchens
He always believed that KUC Kitchens would have a place in the market because there was no other company with the same business philosophy at the time, but he never imagined that its growth would be so great and so fast. Rui Marçal, a graduate in marketing, with a postgraduate in commercial management, created KUC Kitchens, a company for innovative kitchens, daring in their design and exclusive, because they are created in tune with the customer’s wishes and way of life. Rui Marçal wants the company to grow in a sustained way, because he wants to guarantee the excellent service that has made his customers so loyal.
The KUC Kitchens project is relatively recent. What led you to set up the company?
I wanted to create a different company in this sector. Offering a high-quality product and exclusive design with excellent service. While at the same time ensuring a close, relaxed and unpretentious relationship with our customers. Promoting a culture of helping each other, with a common purpose among all partners. I don’t think there was a company with this culture in this field.
You entered this market at an adverse time for the sector. Has the outcome been good so far?
Yes, the time wasn’t good, but we were confident that we would achieve our space. But I had no idea what the market would turn around and that KUC would become a benchmark in the market. We never could have imagined the growth we enjoyed. The initial business plan stopped making sense in the first year of business.
«As for the product, systems are constantly being updated and new products and finished being created»
How is technological evolution important for this business sector?
It is as important as for any industry. As for the product, systems are constantly being updated and new products and finished being created. It is a little thankless when we change something in our space and months later we already have more advanced fitting or different finishes. But it is a good ‘problem’ to have, resulting from great dynamism and to which we have become accustomed. We work with 3D software to present our suggestions as realistically as possible. In terms of service, it is vital we have procedures that ensure more efficient organisation. CRM, logistics and after-sales service are served by software from companies that are constantly developing these areas.
What are your plans for KUC’s future, growth or consolidation?
We have grown a lot. We continue to grow, but we have the feeling that there are limits above which we can no longer provide excellent service. We are working precisely on the implementation of processes that enable us to improve the company’s efficiency in several areas and to maintain the levels of service that have made us grow and won us the loyalty of our customers.
