Between 2002 and 2014, we attempted multiple times to recruit different subcontractors to cut our stones in their facilities. Unfortunately, we were never able to create long-term connections with them because it was difficult to monitor high-quality standards from these locations that our clients were looking for. We then decided it was about time to create our own team in order to give our customers what they actually needed rather than what the subcontractors wanted. To this day, we are still grateful to have found the right people to work with us.
We attempted to develop our first cutting and polishing factory in 2007, but the financial crisis in 2009 wiped out all of our efforts. On top of this, we began to face external challenges since we were unable to fulfil our clients' orders at the time. Our expansion in Thailand in 2010 enabled us to assemble a completely new Thai team, along with qualified gemologists. Over the years, we built two cutting factories in Thailand, and we now have a very stable supply for our different clients all over the world.
We truly believe that without the right employees, our company would not have succeeded. Respect and an optimal work environment are embedded into our business culture. As we are now based in Thailand, we have always done our best to support our Thai employees by assisting them with accommodation, funerals, marriages, and festivals, and we have always tried to support them as much as we could because, aside from our customers, they are the most valuable part of our business.