The year 2014 was a turning point for TOPCORE—our first international orders opened the door to global markets but also presented new challenges. The...
How did we go from manually mixing adhesives in IBC containers to delivering full truckloads of dextrin adhesive? What challenges did we overcome, and how did we secure our first international orders? In 2014, we took a major step forward—transitioning from experimental production in a garage to a fully operational business and expanding into new markets.
1. From a Garage to Semi-Professional Production
In the beginning, we worked with minimal resources, meaning we had to build everything ourselves. Every investment was carefully considered, and our first equipment came from scrap yards and second-hand sources.
What did our first “production facility” look like?
🔸 Mixing Equipment: Initially, we mixed in modified IBC containers using a manual blender.. Over time, we started welding our own mixing machines—the first of which we put together in our uncle Vařejka’s backyard.
🔸 Motors: Our first motors were too weak and burned out under stress, forcing us to gradually switch to higher-powered versions.
🔸 Logistics: We rented space in the Svitavy Brewery, where we used their scales and forklifts for handling raw materials.
“It was all about improvisation. There was no guidebook on how to start producing dextrin adhesive from scratch—we simply had to figure it out,” recalls Petr Červinka.
2. The First Orders and Unexpected Success
Our path to the first major order began with engineering components. While traveling across Poland, offering industrial parts like winding mandrels, glue pans, and pneumatic brakes, a customer from M** suddenly asked:
“Do you also produce adhesives?”
We instinctively replied, “Yes, of course!”, even though we had only just started experimenting with adhesives. M**** placed a test order for 100 kg, and when the adhesive performed well, we delivered 10 tons of dextrin adhesive in May 2013. By July, we were already shipping full truckloads.
By 2014, we were supplying customers across Czechia, Poland, Germany, Luxembourg, and Slovakia. That year, we issued over 100 invoices and achieved our first multi-million turnover.
3. Quality Challenges and Bathroom Experiments
Rapid growth brought challenges. The biggest issue? Adhesive sedimentation—some batches were unstable, so we had to experiment with formulations.
One of our best breakthroughs happened by accident.
“It was a complete fluke. Some leftover ingredients from a previous batch accidentally mixed in, and suddenly the adhesive was performing far better than expected. Later, we realized it wasn’t just luck—it was the perfect combination of certain components,” explains Zdeněk Vařejka.
To perfect the formula, we even ran some of our first experiments in a bathroom, mixing small test samples to find the ideal composition.
4. First Steps on the International Market
Expanding internationally required solving multiple challenges:
🔸 Adhesive quality and stability: We had to refine formulas to perform consistently across different climate conditions.
🔸 Logistics: We arranged transport through freight portals and personal connections.
🔸 Financing: We started with zero capital. Our initial funding came from selling engineering components, and we added our own personal investment.
Initially, everything had to be purchased upfront since suppliers wouldn’t extend payment terms. Over time, we negotiated better conditions and secured our first bank loan.
5. 2014: Defining a New Path Forward
In just one year, we transformed from a small-scale operation into a supplier competing with established brands. 2014 taught us several key lessons:
🔸 Flexibility and a willingness to experiment are essential for success.
🔸 Customer service and the ability to adapt lead to long-term partnerships.
🔸 Eco-friendly dextrin adhesives can stand up to major industry players.
What’s Next?
In 2015, we faced a new challenge: How to scale production to keep up with growing demand? Find out in the next chapter of our Evolution of TOPCORE series.
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