From a small family project to an internationally recognised company – this is the journey of woodworking company “WoodHeart”, built by Inga and Tālis Grīnbergs. In the “Digitalisation Success Stories” series, they explain how they combine traditional craftsmanship with modern technology and why digitalisation is no longer an option, but a necessity for companies that want to grow and remain competitive.
The woodworking business began with a passion for wood and gradually developed into a professional company employing nearly 50 people, with exports accounting for around 80% of its turnover. Today, “WoodHeart” produces historic windows and doors as well as custom-made furniture.
“Our customers’ wishes are always our priority – every solution is unique,” says Grīnberga, adding that this approach has also helped the company succeed in international markets.
As the company grew, it became clear that experience alone was no longer enough. “The bigger the company gets, the easier it is to mess things up,” Grīnbergs admits, describing the point at which it was no longer possible to keep track of all processes “in your head”. In export markets, every detail has to be precise because mistakes are costly. This became a turning point for the company – digitalisation shifted from being an option to becoming a necessity.
The company introduced a range of solutions, including design software, CNC machinery, automated processes and even artificial intelligence, which Grīnbergs describes as an “unusual beast”. This means that a digital drawing can be translated directly into a specific production operation, allowing components to be manufactured accurately and reducing manual errors.
“It’s not as if you introduce a new solution and everything works perfectly the next day. It has taken an entire year for people to learn how to use it,” Grīnbergs says, emphasising that digitalisation is a process, not a one-off purchase.
Grīnberga highlights the same distinction. “Simply buying a machine is not digitalisation,” she says, stressing that what matters most is the mindset and the system behind the technology. First comes the idea, followed by the involvement of the team, and only then the implementation of technologies that genuinely transform workflows rather than remaining isolated tools.
The changes are clearly visible in day-to-day operations – work has become more precise, faster and more predictable. “Faster, faster – that’s what customers want,” the company’s manager says. Digitalisation helps “WoodHeart” maintain quality while meeting these increasingly demanding expectations. Employees are also relying more on technology, often preferring to wait for a digitally controlled machine to complete a task because the result is more consistent and precise.
The Grīnbergs encourage other entrepreneurs not to be afraid of change and to have the courage to take action. They emphasise that this is not merely their company’s story, but part of a broader transformation taking place across the business environment.
“If you don’t make the decision today, in effect you are accepting that your company could begin to decline,” Grīnbergs warns.
Their experience demonstrates that digitalisation is not simply about technology. It is a change in mindset that can determine whether a company continues to develop or is left behind.
Listen to real-life stories from entrepreneurs about how digitalisation helps companies grow, compete and expand into export markets in the “Digitalisation Success Stories” series every Thursday shortly after 2:00 p.m. on Radio SWH and Radio SWH TV.
Latvian companies have access to a wide range of government- and European Union-funded business development support programmes, available through the unified business portal business.gov.lv and its dedicated LIAA platform liaa.business.gov.lv. Companies can find information on various support programmes, ranging from funding for innovation and new product development, export promotion and international cooperation to grants for digitalisation, technology adoption and productivity improvements.
The project is co-funded by the European Union Recovery and Resilience Facility (NextGenerationEU) and the Cohesion Policy Programme 2021–2027. The preparation of this article was funded with support from the Recovery and Resilience Facility. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them.
