GK Innovation, Inc is thriving despite a local volcano eruption and a global pandemic. Here we learn about how the new company has survived these challenging times, and the core principles and values that drive it.
Global success in under two years
Formed in just 2019, GK Innovation, Inc’s consistently high standard of products and services has set the company well on the way to becoming the global leader in wire harness manufacturing. Working from a concrete integrated management framework, the Philippines based business is moving the industry forward through the application of cutting edge technologies and innovative, creative thinking.
GK Innovation, Inc specialises in making wire harnesses for automotive and consumer electronic products, and the company’s quality standards speak for themselves. Their well established layered system has already enabled them to manufacture their products with zero defects, creating a global network of satisfied customers in under two years.
The company’s culture is one based around trust and growth, along with a dedication to making a positive impact on society. The GK in the name stands for Global Keystone, symbolising unity and integrity; a faultless system that brings everything together. Led by Mr Sul Yoon, the entire organisation is committed to creating a global impact that will change the entire course of the industry.
Fostering excellence while helping the community
Prior to setting up the company, Mr. Sul Yoon had worked in and travelled to different countries around Asia to study the market and decide on the best location to build his business. He settled on the Philippines because when he encountered random people and asked why they were working so hard, he was always met with a variation on the same answer: “To pay for my child’s education and build them a bright future”. This dedication and passion greatly moved Mr Sul Yoon, so he decided to set up his business here and help future generations, at the same time as creating job opportunities for enthusiastic and skilled workers.
Mr Sul Yoon’s aim for the company is to make its name synonymous with quality and reliability, through a combination of continuous development, integration and innovation. Mr Sul Yoon has always reminded people that they have the power to make the impossible possible, simply by changing their mindset and focusing on the bigger picture. The company started off in a small, hot, humid room which served as its training and admin centre, but by pulling together and working hard every day GK Innovation, Inc enjoyed vast and rapid growth, with the workforce getting bigger almost every day.
Building a committed, valued workforce
Mr Sul Yoon and his HR team used a systematic approach to recruitment, gathering applicants via direct advertising, referrals, bulletin boards and direct recruitment. Soon the company was seeing between fifty and a hundred applicants each day, filtering the list of candidates based on a combination of physical exams, communication skills assessments and IQ tests.
Applicants who got through the physical and psychological tests were examined on their manual dexterity skills prior to an interview with a representative from HR. Those who made it through were then invited to an interview with Mr Sul Yoon and Division Leaders, who made the decision to be actively involved with the recruitment process because they wanted to get to know everyone who would be working for them. For those who didn’t make it to a job offer, Mr Sul Yoon and the Division Leaders went above and beyond the call of duty to provide personal feedback on the interview, to help people learn from their mistakes and improve their job prospects for the future.
Within a matter of weeks the core manufacturing team was ready, with established workers training new recruits.
GK Innovation, Inc. is dedicated to its No Discrimination policy, believing all applications should have equal chances regardless of educational background, race, disability, gender preference or sexuality. What matters is that employees are skilled, with the right mindset and values and good hearts.
In a short span of time, GK Innovation, Inc. managed to do the complete set-up and generate company policies and procedures in response to the Philippine government’s labour law. In under a year the company built a concrete, integrated management system to provide high-end quality products and services, delivered through innovative milestones.
Working together for mutual success
Every employee, including the CEO/ President himself, exerted a huge effort to do everything they could to help speed up the set-up of the office and production area, even working extended hours to bring the vision to life. With high hopes for the future, everyone was happy to work out of hours and in record time they made it happen – an efficient, robust and organised business bound together by shared passion and strong leadership. Under Mr Sul Yoon’s watchful eye the company was built from nothing and stabilised within just six months – and there are no signs of it slowing down any time soon.
When operations began, all divisions had their own segregated duties set in stone, working hand in hand to make sure everything was in alignment with customers’ high standards and requirements. A general assembly was held daily to discuss and assess production capacity status, quality matters and other general topics that needed to be attended to and resolved.
After a few months, employees who really performed well and showed extra dedication to their work were individually acknowledged and promoted. Mr Sul Yoon is keen to point out that this was not just any acknowledgement, but a life changing experience that for many meant going from work on the factory floor to a coveted administrative position.
Employees have been evaluated purely on their skills and ability to gel with the rest of the organisation, thanks to a transparent recruitment and training system and clear definition of duties. GK Innovation, Inc. believes that companies are most successful when employees are trusted, nurtured and properly trained; being given the freedom to develop their skills and talents to create a diverse and ethical working environment. Speaking to Business Worldwide Magazine, Mr Sul Yoon said,
“The result of our approach is that employees are motivated in their job and do their very best in their craft. Even though everything was new to them initially, it’s just a case of giving people the opportunity to try different things and face challenges.…. with the right support and encouragement, everyone is given the confidence to grow and develop.”
The company has been commended by corporate partner, Inc. BDO Philippine Korean Desk, who said GK Innovation, Imc Was the fastest company in the Philippines to earn revenue after its incorporation.
Beating the odds in a terrible year
All of this is impressive enough, but the fact that much of the hard work happened just as 2020 came along makes it even more amazing to see how far GK Innovation, Inc has come since its inception. The eruption of the Taal Volcano in January 2020 saw many employees unable to get to work due to road blockages and ash pollution, and just a few weeks later the government imposed a lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Only certain personnel were approved to enter the zone in which the company is located and GK Innovation, Inc was quick to comply with safety regulations such as imposing social distancing measures, providing designated hand washing areas, and ensuring temperature checks and mask wearing rules were in place.
Mr Sul Yoon donated masks on behalf of the company to numerous hospitals, government agencies and other front line staff, making a small gesture that had a profound impact on the local community. In all, GK Innovation, Inc has continued to thrive even under these extreme circumstances, navigating both local and global disasters without causing any major calamities within the company.
Mr Sul Yoon and his management team have also gone to great efforts to obtain IATF and ISO certification as the company continues to grow, giving customers an even bigger incentive to choose this forward thinking, ambitious and caring company. Find out more about GK Innovation, Inc on the company’s website, https://www.gkinnovation.global.
