Georgia Trading Post began in 1992 as a family-owned business run by three brothers: Mohammad, Saeed, and Feroz Jamal. At that time, they were manufacturing t-shirts from scratch — buying the yarn, turning it into fabric, dying, bleaching, and producing hand-made t-shirts. Through the efforts of the Jamal brothers, Georgia Trading Post has grown into a one-stop shop for businesses keen on purchasing decorated apparel. Much of their success can be attributed to their considerable production capacity which includes 11 embroidery machines (with a total of 115 embroidery heads), five screen printing machines (with 14 color options), and a digital printing machine.
So, how did Georgia Trading Post evolve from three brothers manufacturing t-shirts manually into a powerhouse decorated apparel service provider? They combined hard work, a progressive vision, ingenuity, and a capital equipment investment.
Georgia Trading Post snapshot:
- Family operated business for over 20 years
- Began manufacturing t-shirts from scratch
- Expanded operations with new equipment and capitalized on growth opportunity, obtained
new clients
- “Stick to what you know” is key to success of Georgia Trading Post
- Equipment allows GTP to offer a wide array of services not found with competitors, providing them with an edge in the market
- Financing with Beacon was easy and fast, allowing them to keep up with demand of new services
An Olympic-sized Opportunity
Although Mohammad and his brothers were doing well at the onset of their t-shirt business, the manufacturing industry in the United States wasn’t following suit. They decided it was time to look for different business options. It wasn’t until Mohammad attended Bobbin World, an exposition and conference for the sewn products industry and where he first saw embroidery machines with multiple heads, that he realized Georgia Trading Post could transition into an embroidery business and mass produce t-shirts rather than making them individually. The plan was to make this an extension of their previous business so they could leverage the same client base.
Interestingly enough, their new business venture really took off when the Summer Olympics came to Atlanta in 1996. There was a huge demand for embroidery in the area, but very few companies could produce merchandise as quickly as the demand required. However, Georgia Trading Post was fully capable and immediately took on the challenge. The timing of this world event worked as a catalyst to grow their business and increase their production capacity from two to eleven embroidery machines.
If You Build It, They Will Come
Why was Georgia Trading Post able to capitalize on the demand for Olympic apparel when others couldn’t? The owners follow a business philosophy of using business investments, like equipment, to generate growth. More simply put – you have to spend money to make money. According to Mohammad, the brothers have always believed in the famous American saying “if you build it, they will come.” Georgia Trading Post will buy the equipment necessary for a service or product line before they have the customer base. They know that new equipment will help their business grow, because it’s proven to be an effective strategy. This philosophy helped them take on an influx of orders during the Olympics and continues to prove beneficial to this day.
A Financing Partner Who Gets “The Plan”
Beacon has helped thousands of businesses nationwide over the past 25 years by providing them the means to acquire the production equipment they need to increase revenue. This “helping businesses grow and prosper” philosophy is why Georgia Trading Post has found it so easy to finance and lease their new equipment with Beacon, a group that’s supportive of companies planning for the future with equipment investments. It’s a growth strategy that has worked countless times and will continue to do so. “Beacon is very easy to work with. Beacon rewards loyalty. Our approval with Beacon is very fast and based on our past track record [with the company]. Historically, we always keep one lease open with Beacon for continuity. This way Beacon has an opportunity to check our track record on a continuous basis.”
Equipment Investments to Spur Future Growth
Many businesses expand in the same way as Georgia Trading Post, by adding production equipment to gain a competitive advantage. They have the foresight and business acumen to know that increased capacity resulting from their equipment investment will allow them to quickly and profitably take advantage of opportunity when it arises. “Every time we add equipment, it adds to our revenue. We often see the equipment’s effect on our revenue by three to six months, whereby it’s paying for itself and more. We buy equipment to create capacity, and then we go out and get the customers,” explains Mohammad. Mohammad’s vision for the future has helped Georgia Trading Post expand into a variety of services within the decorated apparel industry. Beyond the basics they also offer direct-to-garment and digital printing, rhinestone and sequin applique, fabric etching, laser engraving, and more. The business is one of very few in the United States that can offer this many decorated apparel services, and that’s thanks in large part to their foresight to get quick and affordable equipment financing.
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Thank you to Georgia Trading Post for participating in Beacon Funding's Success Spotlight program. The Success Spotlight program gives Beacon customers and partners a chance to shine with recognition of their equipment financing success. This is achieved through enhanced exposure and free nationwide publicity through Beacon's online channels. To learn more about the program click here.