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, dyeing, bleaching, and producing handmade t-shirts.

Through the efforts of the Jamal brothers, Georgia Trading Post has grown into a one-stop shop for businesses looking to purchase decorated apparel. Much of their success can be attributed to their significant 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 manually manufacturing t-shirts into a powerhouse decorated apparel service provider? They combined hard work, a progressive vision, ingenuity, and strategic capital equipment investment.

Georgia Trading Post Snapshot

• Family-operated business for over 20 years
• Began by manufacturing t-shirts from scratch
• Expanded operations with new equipment and capitalized on growth opportunities to acquire new clients
• “Stick to what you know” is key to the success of Georgia Trading Post
• Equipment allows GTP to offer a wide array of services competitors can’t match, giving them an edge in the market
• Financing with Beacon was easy and fast, allowing them to keep up with demand for new services

An Olympic-sized Opportunity

Although Mohammad and his brothers were doing well early on, the manufacturing industry in the United States wasn’t experiencing the same success. They decided it was time to explore new business options.

That opportunity appeared when Mohammad attended Bobbin World, an exposition and conference for the sewn products industry. There, he saw multi-head embroidery machines for the first time and realized Georgia Trading Post could transition into embroidery and mass-produce t-shirts instead of making them individually.

The plan was to extend their existing business model and leverage their current client base while expanding their services.

If You Build It, They Will Come

Why was Georgia Trading Post able to capitalize on Olympic demand when others couldn’t? The owners believe strongly in using business investments—especially equipment—to drive growth.

In simpler terms, you have to spend money to make money. According to Mohammad, the brothers have always believed in the saying, “If you build it, they will come.”

Georgia Trading Post often purchases equipment for a service or product line before the customer base fully exists. They know new equipment fuels growth, because it’s proven effective time and again. This philosophy allowed them to absorb the Olympic order surge and continues to benefit the business today.

A Financing Partner Who Gets “The Plan”

Beacon has helped thousands of businesses nationwide acquire production equipment to increase revenue. This “helping businesses grow and prosper” mindset is why Georgia Trading Post has found it easy to finance and lease equipment with Beacon.

Beacon supports companies that plan for the future through equipment investment. It’s a growth strategy that has worked countless times and continues 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. Historically, we always keep one lease open with Beacon for continuity, which allows them to evaluate our performance on an ongoing basis.”

Equipment Investments to Spur Future Growth

Many businesses expand the same way Georgia Trading Post has—by adding production equipment to gain a competitive advantage. Increased capacity allows them to act quickly and profitably when new opportunities arise.

“Every time we add equipment, it adds to our revenue,” Mohammad explains. “Within three to six months, the equipment is paying for itself and more. We buy equipment to create capacity, then go out and get the customers.”

This forward-looking approach has allowed Georgia Trading Post to expand beyond core services. In addition to embroidery and screen printing, they now offer direct-to-garment and digital printing, rhinestone and sequin appliqué, fabric etching, laser engraving, and more.

Few businesses in the United States can offer such a wide range of decorated apparel services. That capability is due in large part to Georgia Trading Post’s foresight and access to quick, affordable equipment financing.

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Thank you to Georgia Trading Post for participating in Beacon Funding’s Success Spotlight program. The program gives Beacon customers and partners recognition for their equipment financing success through enhanced exposure and free nationwide publicity via Beacon’s online channels.

To learn more about the program click here.