Ukrainian entrepreneurs are seeking eco-friendly solutions that reduce environmental harm. Among them is KVOTA, a company with over three decades of experience in mechanical engineering, machinery and plastic industry.
#ShoTam online magazine tells how this family business became an environmental innovator in the plastic industry.
CRISIS IS A DRIVER FOR INNOVATIONS
KVOTA was founded after the collapse of the Soviet Union. “My parents risked all their savings and everything they had to start their own business,” recalls Olga Melykh, PhD in Economics, company director. “My father was an engineer and inventor with deep expertise in mould design, my mother — a skilled human resource manager. At the beginning, we had no production of our own: my father designed, my mother found contractors. Later, we have bought manufacturing facilities and have launched production.”
In 2001, KVOTA became the first in its industry to introduce ISO standards to our partners and competitors in metalworking and machinery.
From the age of 15, Olga assisted her parents and joined them at international trade shows: “There we had an opportunity to discover new technologies and new business approaches; explore innovations in our industry and exchange insights with businessmen from all over the World.”
In 2020, during the pandemic, Olga took over full management. Just as operations were restored, the full-scale war began. “For six months we barely produced anything — many partners froze cooperation, and clients were in frontline zones. We have hosted internally displaced people and relocated companies; have changed our development strategy and restart local production. Our first wartime product in 2022 was tourniquet components,” says Olga.
SUSTAINABILITY AS A GOAL
Despite the war, the company continues to focus on ecology — optimizing processes to reduce power consumption and CO₂ emissions.
In 2024, KVOTA joined the Innovation Challenge acceleration program, organized by the EU, UNDP, and the BOOST Impact Acceleration Programme, presenting its Green Tech project for sustainable production.
Earlier, in 2023, together with a Lithuanian partner, KVOTA developed a project on newly patented biodegradable plastic for 250 ml coffee cups. “Our goal was to replace single-use plastic dishes with biodegradable, eco-friendly alternatives,” Olga explains.
The company plans to produce specialized moulds and eco-tableware for HoReCa (hotels, restaurants, and cafés) — expanding beyond Ternopil to export markets.“
"Ukrainian business is becoming more responsible towards people and the planet — and we are proud to drive that change,” says Olga Melykh.
The interview was published in the online media outlet "#SHOTAM" on September 30, 2025, at 16:04.
Author: Elena Leonova
Source: #SHOTAM
