Construction Company Dagi – A Story that Began 20 Years Ago

Gogi Gulordava, the founder of Dagi, talks to us about the history of the company, its successes, and the great importance of the construction sector:

20 years ago, in post-soviet Georgia, likely no-one would have thought it would take just two decades for the construction business to become the main direction of the country’s economy. However, it was the early 2000s and two people with minimum technology with a small group of co-workers started the constructing company Dagi.

“We founded the company because starting a business in the construction field meant more for us than simply becoming businessmen – to us, this was a way to play a role in the development of the country,” Gulordava tells us.

Today, Dagi, a Limited liability company, has a development strategy that entails construction work that has to do with office spaces, living buildings, community parks, automobile infrastructure, irrigation engineering and drinking water infrastructure. However, Dagi also works on restoration projects. In 2012, the Company was assigned the ISO 9001:2008 certificate; in October 2015, the OHSAS 18001:2007 Certificate; and in March 2016 the ISO 14001:2004 certificate. Also, since June 18, 2012, it has been registered in the State Procurement Agency’s White List.

The first project of the construction company was Mama Daviti. Since then, Dagi has successfully finished over 300 projects, among them some of the country’s most successful projects: Mestia rehabilitation, Sataplia Cave and Nature Reserve, Hotel Anaklia, The Opera Theater of Kutaisi, and the Vani Museum.

“We see the individual charm and beauty of each and every project and we approach them differently. However, we consider projects associated with education the most important,” Gulordava says. “They are not just buildings, they are the places where kids are meant to grow up, study, develop and start building a better Georgia. At this stage, Dagi is building the V. Komarovi Physics-Mathematics School in Batumi, schools in Upper Machkhaani and Upper Sakara, in Martvili, as well as professional colleges in Marneuli, Borjomi, and Khashuri. These are the projects that are most important [to us] because in the buildings constructed by us, a new generation will be building a new Georgia.

“Another emotional project for us is a Trading Center in Rukhi, which is very close to occupied territories of the country. 300 meters from the construction works, the territory is still Georgian, but it is impossible for us to get there. Realizing this brings a lot of emotions. Villagers from villages past Enguri were employed in this project, which makes us particularly proud.

“For us, Dagi is more than just construction business,” Gulordava confesses. “This is a step forward, taken for a better Georgia; an idea directed towards the development of the country. Dagi has been on the market for 20 years now, yet it is still growing, because what motivates it is the desire to have a common bright future for all. Not only a brighter future for the country, but a brighter future for all the employees of the company. Today, around 2000 people are working in Dagi. Our greatest focus is to take care after their children and to strive for them to live in a better Georgia.”

Of course, technological development and innovations are integral parts of the construction process. Dagi has a big leverage there: using modern technologies and materials enables Dagi to offer its customers the best technical decisions.

“It is impossible to create modern, particular projects without new technologies. Especially in our country, where the market is, fortunately, competitive and is developing every day,” Gulordava says. “So we do not have the right to relax and lose grip. We believe that it is crucial to adapt to international standards; it is crucial to share and follow the experiences of other countries and their technological developments. That is why Dagi is continuously retraining its employees.

“For example, before the pandemic, we were planning an important project, the retraining of employees abroad, and starting the production of AAC energy efficient aerated concrete blocks. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we had to take a rain check with this project. This new technology will see the light in Georgia as soon as the pandemic ends, and Dagi’s employees will improve their qualifications in Germany and Turkey.”

The main approach taken by Dagi is that the construction is not a mere business, but the country’s future. Consequently, the company cares for the futures of each employee and their family members. In Dagi’s case, the key to success is caring and taking every step to show this care, be it the retraining of employees, the establishment of innovations in construction, or the start of projects of importance for the country.

“In Dagi we believe that the development of infrastructure is the biggest indicator of the country’s development,” Gulordava notes. “The more employees we have, and the more projects we carry out, the more we realize how far Georgia has come. The choice is easy: you either do not act, you stop and get used to the reality, or you build the future every day, even if it’s like putting down a single brick a day. Dagi made that choice 20 years ago.”