Bobič Yacht Interior, a Novo Mesto-based export company specialising in furniture for luxury vessels, has made fittings and furniture for many a celebrity's super yacht and its business is booming.

In this niche business, the company is seeing its revenue grow and expects it to double in the coming years. This year, Bobič Yacht Interior expects its revenue to grow by 25% but even more in the years after, executive director Jure Tešar has told the STA.

Bobič Yacht Interior has made furniture for a number of famous super yachts, said Tešar, but being bound by non-disclosure agreements, he could not give any names.

"This is a niche market. It is very specific in that it requires the highest level of quality. Therefore we are constantly driven to use new materials and techniques, which sets us apart from other companies in the woodworking industry," Tešar said.

"By bringing the ideas and visions of world-renowned designers to life, we are pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Our products are onboard many private luxury yachts, and some are also in private residences and aircraft across the world."

What is now a go-to company for luxury yacht makers with 70 employees, started out as a carpenter's shop launched in 1960 by Jože Bobič.

The company only started making motor yacht furniture in 1997 and over a decade later the economic crisis led the firm to look for new opportunities, finding its niche in super yachts.

The company generates 98% of its revenue abroad, mostly in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, Croatia, Greece and Italy.

One of its biggest challenges is the constant increase in prices across all fields, from energy to materials, to labour, said Tešar. "This is all the more troublesome because some projects take a year and a half, and our costs get significantly higher than what we predicted in our bid."

Another problem is finding appropriate staff. "We've been noticing that the labour market is short on all types of woodworking professionals," said Tešar. In an effort to attract carpenters, the company has set up a mentoring system for new workers, it offers scholarships and internships, as well as summer work for students.

"We want the young to see that wood is a beautiful, natural, warm and healthy material that offers a multitude of design options and work options, and above all that the job of a carpenter is much different today than what it used to be, both in terms of work conditions and technologies," Tešar said.