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BOLV GROUP LIMITLESS... Embraces Hospitality
BY RUDINA HOXHA & JOSE PINTO
Recently, we have decided to enter the Hospitality Industry by projecting, investing and managing the largest Hospitality complex in Tirana by the time we speak. It will include a 4* business hotel that will hold the name of the giant hotel group Accor, Novotel Tirana.
In this edition, in the oil industry and it has grown TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE within us the confidence of making had the pleasure to sit with possible any new idea we come Olsi Çukaj, Vice-President across. Although through the years, of Bolv Group and talk we have been more selective on about their family business from the new business plans, and we A to Z. have tried to build new businesses Formed by his father, Behar Çukaj which are still connected with the oil who embodied his firm vision in this industry,” Çukaj said in this exclusive business, Bolv Group surprisingly interview, adding “It took a really stands far more than import and long time to settle and decide to do export and wholesale trading of something huge in the hospitality fuels and combustibles as many sector here in Albania.” might know. ‘We have an experience of 30 years
FULL INTERVIEW BELOW:
Our readers would love to know, if Bolv Oil Group is an Oil company doing services as an oil distributer or does other related business?
Bolv Group is a family business. It has been formed by my father Behar Çukaj and it is his vision for the business that we are at the moment on top 10 list of the most successful companies in Albania.
Bolv Group is composed of Olsi LTD, retailing company with approximately 40 gas stations spread all over the country of Albania. We make sure that in every station we offer quality products and distinctive service. Our goal is to reach the region and why not European Market. Bolv Oil is the mother company created in 2003. It offers services like transportation, import and export of oil products and wholesaling. This year we made huge changes in terms of brand. Our new logo is innovative, kept our nations symbol, The Eagle, colors are friendly to the eyes of customers and we differentiate each other with other local companies.
Porto Romano Oil, bought in 2010, one of the main bets of my father which he of course won. The company offers storage deposits in the port of Durres. Basically, ships unload the cargo in these deposits, they are stored and sold according to demand. Porto Romano port in Durres is also
known as a Free Zone area. Autovizion LTD, also known as Iveco Albania, offers a large range of cars and trucks produced by one of largest car companies in the world. Our newly investment show room, together with Gas Station and Car Service area, are located in the highway that connects Tirana with the city of Durres where the main port of the country is located. Autovizion offers a range of lubricants and oils for vans, buses and trucks made by the giant Petronas Company. Last but not least, Albdrilling is the company that my father has always dreamed of operating due to the fact that coming from an oil field area as origin, he studied the science of oil drilling during his studies in college. Albdrilling is the main contractor of Bankers Petroleum Albania operation in the oil field of Belin-Marinez in Patos, Fier County. In the year 2019, Albdrilling has reached a record of two wells per month in shore, a record that we will try hard to beat in the coming years.
There is another entity inside BOLV Group and that is called Çukaj Foundation. This foundation it is created by our family in order to “Albdrilling has reached a record of two wells per month in shore”
help the people in need. In history, our ancestors have always been supporting people and today we are continuing this legacy.
Recently, we have decided to enter the Hospitality Industry by projecting, investing and managing the largest Hospitality complex in Tirana by the time we speak. It will include a 4* business hotel that will hold the name of the giant hotel group Accor, Novotel Tirana. Our partnership with Accor is not a coincidence due to the fact that our family has always been cooperating with big names in different industries. Moreover, my studies for Hospitality Business in Glion Institute of Higher Education has played an important role in making this collaboration happen because we both understand the Hospitality “jargon” and it is easier to build strong communication bridge between us. Next to the Hotel will be positioned a Business Center where large local or international companies will be able to rent the whole floor and
create their permanent base. We are opened for long term collaboration and at our office facilities they will find a real home. Last but not least, as the word goes “The Cherry on Top of the Cake”, the most innovative business concept approaching Albania, involving youngsters, also known as Millenials, the very first Student & Young Professionals Accommodation. Finally, Tirana will be on the map of the European capitals with its own landmark for young people to live, network, collaborate and develop themselves for future challenges. We will offer them a large range of services starting with Fully Furnished Ensuite studio apartments where they will have the chance to choose between single or double Studio. In the ground floor, another business concept will be attached to this property, the Food Hall concept, where guests living upstairs, office people and other customers from Tirana. However, the innovative business ideas do not end here, the Coworking concept will be added to this project as a facility for all the students and young professionals to study, research, network, present, learn and create their work groups. There will be many other leisure facilities like games rooms, cinema, gym, BBQ area, cars and bicycles rentals and much more. I and my family are inspired by University campuses where I and my sister used to study and live in Switzerland and the UK. Now that I explained our mission, let me say a couple of words regarding the vision. We, Bolv Group Limitless, aim and desire to change the student and young professionals LIFESTYLE in Tirana!
What has created a change orpivot in your company culture to go forward nowadays?
My father believes and supports the idea that our employees are our main assets. As such, they should have the best working environment and the basic needs in order to undertake their daily tasks. We use incentives as a tool to bring our employees together, to socialize, and to know each other better so while they work together the collaboration comes easier. Basically, this is the work culture that my father has always tried to implement inside our companies in order to create harmony between employees and to reach high levels of success like he has indeed reached in Albania.
Is it possible to overcome big changes in today’s business environment to achieve sustainable growth? Please tell us about your long-term planning if you can?
Doing business in Albania has specific challenges that differ from other countries. Beside the politics environment, there is also the working mentality challenge. It is very hard sometimes to find the right people who take responsibility in their jobs. However, I strongly believe that people can improve with the right coaching model of the leader. We plan to re-organize our companies, we started with rebranding our retailing company, we are continuing with our drilling company and next phase I believe is reshaping the administration and most importantly HR department. In my judgment, this is the most important department in a company, of course after Financial Department, knowing that our people are considered our assets, we need the right people in the right position and doing the right job.
How have your years of business experience influenced the company expansions in other business sectors?
For this, I will speak in the name of the family. We have an experience of 30 years in the oil industry and it has grown within us the confidence of making possible any new idea we come across. Although through the years, we have been more selective on the new business plans, and we have tried to build new business which are still connected with the oil industry. It took a really long time to settle and decide to do something huge in the hospitality sector here in Albania.
Did COVID-19 bring to the company a new vision of the future?
It definitely did, especially for our size. The bigger you are in the business, the stronger it hits you. First of all, it was a signal to stop for a moment and evaluate again all the business decisions we have made as a group for the last couple of years and think twice for the new opportunities we had ahead. It made us realize that we have to sit down and make a check list with our priorities, where to invest our money without hurting the normal cycle
of the business for the next year, and especially fulfilling our duties with the people that work with us, they are our biggest asset. We are working on being down to earth on investment figures at least for two years.
Bringing Novotel Brand to Albania has been a spark for other Hospitality brands to come along?
Indeed, Accor has been seeing to enter the Albanian market for a long time and this time they found the right partners to expand in the SEE. Bolv Group Limitless has long experience collaborating with big companies such as Bankers Petroleum, Eni Italia, Iveco Trucks. Therefore, we are again continuing with the same business mentality, to bring the best of Hospitality Industry inside the country. For sure, the news of Accor entering Albania has raised the interests of brands like Marriott, Hilton and Melia to seriously think entering the market and they have done so. I believe Albania has a great potential in the tourism sector due to the geographical position in the map, due to the warm climate, due to the colorful nature, water resources and much more. We Albanians feel blessed by Nature to live in such a beautiful country and it is us, the young generation, those who have the duty to develop our country, create more job opportunities, support the economy, support people in need and create environment for a harmonious life.
What makes a family business so enduring through years , and years to come? What is the compose of ingredients that you see and our readers don’t ?
Honestly, what makes our business so enduring is my father’s managerial and leadership skills. He has gained much experience during the last 30 years when he started everything from scratch like selling everything that the poor Albanian market needed in the early 90s. Then, he started to grow slowly and while reaching high levels of business he during this time has been building strong bases, same as in family life, as in the business life. This means that even if there is an earthquake in business, such was the pandemic, he is capable of managing the situation thanks to these strong bases that he has built during his experience. As in a delicious plate by a Michelin star chef, the most important is the simplicity and the freshness of the main ingredients and his professional skills that he applies over these products in order to finish an amazing, delicious and elegant plate. Simplicity is the Key.
iOur partnership with Accor is not a coincidence due to the fact that our family has always been cooperating with big names in different industries. Moreover, my studies for Hospitality Business in Glion Institute of Higher Education has played an important role in making this collaboration happen because we both understand the Hospitality “jargon” and it is easier to build strong communication bridge between us.
iFinally, Tirana will be on the map of the European capitals with its own landmark for young people to live, network, collaborate and develop themselves for future challenges. We will offer them a large range of services starting with Fully Furnished En-suite studio apartments where they will have the chance to choose between single or double Studio.
Goes Limitless BY RUDINA HOXHA & JOSE PINTO
BOLV GROUP
