The wood industry is an export-oriented industry that has been growing steadily in recent years due to significant mechanization and automation of the production process. The problem faced by this branch of industry is the lack of qualified workers to work on specialized machines intended for various wood processing processes. The machines used for many years in the wood industry were exclusively hand-operated machines that required a lot of staff, so such positions were mostly occupied by men. Due to the advancement of technology, the machines used today in the process of wood processing are highly automated machines that do not require heavy physical work, which allows women to be employed in production. In addition to the above, production automation has significantly improved product quality, work productivity and working conditions of the workers.

Through the implementation of the project “Improving the competitiveness of the family tradition of furniture production”, the Carpentry Ćuk has acquired the following machines for various wood processing stages: CNC finishing machine, wood drying machine, veneer and board gluing machine, compressed air production machine, furniture wrapping machine and CNC edge processing centre. The purchase of new machines has enabled an increase in the production capacity of existing products, expansion of the range by introducing a new production line, improving working conditions, strengthening technological knowledge, educating human resources and creating new jobs. Since newly acquired machines are highly automated and do not require heavy physical work, when hiring new employees, only the competence and expertise of employees and their will and desire to work are taken into account. Employment is available to any interested candidate, regardless of gender, age, nationality or religion.

In addition to hiring new candidates, the Carpentry Ćuk takes care of gender equality, also when promoting employees to leadership positions in the company. This is confirmed by a member of the project team, and also the head of procurement at the Carpentry Ćuk, Vlasta Ćuk: “As a woman in a male-dominated industry, I am observing that the line between men and women is constantly fading. In the absence of qualified staff, the importance of willingness and desire to work are acknowledged, while other characteristics such as gender are becoming less and less important. I believe that leadership should not be related to gender, because people in managerial positions are characterized by determination, organization and motivation, i.e., those qualities developed by an individual regardless of his/her gender.” Vlasta Ćuk pointed out that the Carpentry Ćuk definitely promotes equality between women and men and that the implementation of the project, i.e., the purchase of highly automated machines, has significantly facilitated the work of all employees in production, and thus opened equal opportunities for promotion and employment in order to encourage future balancing of the number of women in the wood industry.

As part of the implementation of the EU project "Establishment of a new business unit for solid wood processing in Stolarija Ćuk", the business and production facility was extended, i.e. the production hall and transshipment area were added, four dryers were built and software for the development of wood products was acquired.

The expansion of the business-production facility and the acquisition of software enabled the increase in the production capacity of existing products, the expansion of the product range, the improvement of working conditions, the strengthening of technological knowledge, the education of human resources and the creation of new jobs.

As part of this project, Stolarija Ćuk took care of gender equality both when hiring new candidates during the implementation of the project and when promoting employees to management positions in the company.

When hiring new employees and when promoting employees to management positions in the company, regardless of the employee's gender, only the competence and expertise of the employee and their willingness and desire to work are taken into account. Employment is available to every interested candidate, regardless of their gender, age, national or religious affiliation.

Even after the implementation of the project, Stolarija Ćuk will continue to take care of gender equality, i.e. the promotion of women's work in the wood industry, since highly automated machines that do not require heavy physical work will be housed in the newly built production – business facility. The mentioned machines facilitate the work of all employees in production and enable equal employment opportunities for both sexes in order to encourage the future balancing of the number of women in the wood industry.