Tbilisi is a city of over one million inhabitants with a history of wealth and commerce Tbilisi, the capital of the middle eastern country Georgia, is not a location on many person’s maps. However, with a population over one million and a history of wealth and commerce, maybe it ought to be. Since liberalizing its market, Georgia has grown rapidly, now weighing in with the ninth highest GDP in the world, which is steadily growing at a rate of 2% annually. Within the short years that its economy has had to expand, Georgia has become an economic front runner in its region.
Georgia’s rapid growth has created many opportunities for businesses, both large and small. Some companies that have taken advantage of this growth are Liberty Bank and Telasi. With the liberation of the market, Telasi was able to gain a foothold in energy distribution, and in 2009 Liberty Bank established itself in Georgia to help handle the new financial assets of the country. Both companies are now well rooted to the Georgian economy, and growing steadily.
Once a dream, small businesses and business owners have begun popping up in Tbilisi, speckling the streets of the large city. One such company is Geoakum, a manufacturer and distributor of vehicular batteries, taking advantage of the expanding market. Geoakum began as a distributor for a Turkish battery manufacturer, and in 2008 grew large enough to manufacture its own products. Growing out of the large part of the population who could now afford and maintain cars, Geoakum provides a necessary and lucrative piece of Tbilisi’s economic puzzle.
Though Geoakum began as a distributor, it now manufactures its own brands of batteries for all types of cars, producing the GT Battery, Flock, and Blizzaro brands, of which they are the sole distributor. Allowing the open distribution of most of their battery brands lets Geoakum branch out into the market and make themselves known to the public, while being the sole distributor of Blizzaro allows them to take control of this popularity and feed it back into their company. By manufacturing and distributing Blizzaro, they take nearly all financial gain, while still being present in the public eye with their other brands. This quality management technique is the biggest path to growth for Geoakum.
Geoakum’s slogan is “To strengthen and develop the economy of Georgia!” Their dedication is demonstrated by their actions in 2014, when they decided to branch out further into the vehicular market by producing tires for cars and trucks, and became a supplier for Gingdao Gloryred Internantional Trade Co. With this move, Geoakum is able to provide excellent products to a customer base who is already praising their products, making the move one of practical prowess and customer satisfaction. In addition to this, Geoakum’s market share is increasing by 5-8% annually, allowing them to keep ownership of all company products, and make all decisions on their products and pricing.
While private enterprise is a relatively new concept in Georgia, and there aren’t many more established companies in Georgia due to the recent market freedom, one company that is older than Geoakum is JSC RMG Copper. Established in 1975, and privatized in 2005. JSC RMG Copper is currently the leading mining company in Georgia, contributing more than 10% of Georgian exports. JSC RMG Copper and Geoakum will both continue to grow their revenue, and in this endeavor also help “to strengthen and develop the economy of Georgia.”
ABOUT BID AND THE WORLD QUALITY COMMITMENT AWARD:
BID is a private and independent organization founded in 1984, whose primary activity is business communication orientated towards quality, excellence and innovation in management. A leader in the broadcasting of Quality Culture, BID recognizes those companies and organizations which lead the most important activities in the business world, and is considered the founding organization in the broadcasting of the Culture of Quality, Excellence and Innovation in 179 countries. The trophy symbolizes a pledge to the principles of Quality Culture. The QC100 Total Quality Management Model, together with the Quality Mix program, media coverage of the convention and its impact on the community and business sector, create an unmatched platform for continuous improvement within the organization and awareness of the achievements of the company at an international level. Awards are given only to those who are committed to improving their Quality Culture based on the principles of the QC100 Total Quality Management Model. Candidates are proposed by the leaders of previously awarded companies who they consider worthy of the award. Especially meritorious candidates may also be nominated. The International BID Quality Award Selection Committee then chooses the winning companies who will receive the award in New York, Paris, Geneva, Frankfurt, Madrid and London.