Tomislav Ivanić: From a Small Workshop to an Investment of 9 Million Euros

Recently, we published a ranking of the 40 most successful Croatian entrepreneurs under 40 in Lider, and in the coming days, we will bring individual stories of each of them. Next up is Tomislav Ivanić, director of Bravarija Ivanić, who took over the family business about ten years ago and gradually directed it towards more technologically demanding projects.

In his case, the continuation of the family business did not mean maintaining the existing model, but rather its gradual expansion and adaptation to new market demands. The key difference, reveals the young entrepreneur, occurred in the approach to production, where the emphasis is increasingly placed on the development of proprietary solutions and the application of technology.

– I took over the business from my parents about ten years ago. My main motivation was my passion for machines – a passion that still follows me today. Even then, I recognized how much additional value I could create if I developed a machine and then realized production on it. This sparked my strong interest in the latest technologies and their application, which has been continuously growing over time – says Ivanić, whose company currently employs around thirty people and has been steadily growing in recent years, with revenues of about 3.5 million euros and a profit of around 150 thousand euros.

This approach gradually changed the structure of the business and opened up space for more complex projects. Over time, it became clear to him that the existing capacities were no longer sufficient for further growth, which led to the decision for a larger investment and relocation of production.

– Four years ago, we made a crucial leap – we signed a large contract and initiated an investment worth nine million euros. This enabled us to purchase and relocate production to a new location in Zagreb, at Rakitnica 2a, where we operate today and continue to develop the business – emphasizes Ivanić.

After this move, he further structured the business and organized production through several clearly defined segments. This allowed the company to maintain stability in industrial production while opening up space for specific projects in foreign markets.

– Bravarija Ivanić is now based on three main production branches. The first is the production of metal parts for the automotive and energy sectors. The second encompasses the creation of the most exclusive custom metal facades for markets such as America and Germany. The third branch focuses on product development and providing support to companies that need specific knowledge in designing and implementing automation systems – explains Ivanić.

As the scope of work grew, internal processes and the way of organizing work became increasingly prominent. Managing production in such an environment requires clearly defined procedures and a higher level of coordination than in earlier stages of business.

– One of the key lessons I have learned is that the strength of a company is determined by its weakest link, but also by the quality of the system that manages all processes. In hindsight, I clearly see that I would have started developing and optimizing business processes and systematically automating the entire business much earlier – says Ivanić.

Plans for the next period are focused on further expansion and strengthening the position in the international market, reveals Ivanić. Alongside existing projects, the focus is also on developing new partnerships and increasing production capacities.

– Our goals for the future are ambitious and clearly defined. We are focused on opening new markets and establishing partnerships with leading architectural firms in America, as well as automation companies in Switzerland and Germany. At the same time, we are working on developing our own product line, increasing production capacities, and further strengthening our team, with the aim of remaining a top-notch manufacturing team – emphasizes Ivanić.

In the next phase of development, the emphasis remains on a combination of technology, production, and organizational growth. The long-term goal is clearly set and related to positioning at the regional level.

– In the long term, our goal is to position ourselves as one of the most reliable and technologically sophisticated metal processing companies in the region – concludes Ivanić.