8 Companies That Have Gone Global Successfully


8 Companies That Have Gone Global Successfully
Beth Worthy

Beth Worthy

9/14/2022

According to the latest report by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), U.S. multinational enterprises (MNEs) added $5.7 trillion in dollar value to the economy in 2019.

Their parent companies accounted for 22.2% of the entire private industry workforce in the country that year. Interestingly, many of the companies that have gone global successfully started out small. 

By leveraging appropriate resources like professional translation services, businesses can overcome language and geographical barriers to dominate overseas markets and generate billions of dollars in revenue for their owners every year.

8 Businesses That Became the World's Most Successful Brands

1. Dell Technologies

Ranked 31st on the Fortune 500 list in 2022, Dell is one of the world’s largest tech corporations, reporting annual revenue of $101.197 billion in 2022 and employing 170,000 people across the globe.

Founded by Michael Dell in a college dormitory room in 1984, the company manufactures and assembles personal computers, including laptops.

Moreover, it has also diversified into the realm of cloud computing and offers services such as cloud storage and networking. 

While Dell is headquartered in Round Rock, Texas, it has offices and officially sells its products in 374 locations in 77 countries worldwide, including the US, Middle East, UK, and Canada. 

However, through third-party associations, its products are available in over 180 countries.

2. Walmart

Sam Walton ventured into the retail business by starting Walton’s 5&10 in Bentonville, Arkansas, in 1950. Considering the humble origin, he probably didn’t envision the store becoming the world’s largest brick-and-mortar retailer in the future.

His game-changing business model combined low prices with quality services to succeed in the retail space and eventually opened the first Walmart in 1962.

The international retail giant today operates 10,500 stores and clubs in 24 countries. It employs 2,300,000 people and reported a revenue of $572.8 billion in 2022.

3. Whole Foods Market

In 1980, John Mackey joined hands with others to open the first Whole Foods Market store, a supermarket chain that specializes in natural and organic foods.

The business has experienced remarkable growth in the past few years to establish a solid footing in nearly 500 locations across the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom. 

The e-commerce giant, which Amazon acquired for $13.7 billion in 2017, is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and has 91,000 employees. In 2021, it had net sales of over $8 million and total revenue of $17 million. 

4. Koch Industries

Founded in 1940 by Fred Koch, Koch Industries is one of the largest privately-owned companies that have gone global successfully.

The Wichita, Kansas-based conglomerate has interests in multiple sectors, from oil refinery and chemicals to consumer products and information systems.

With more than 122,000 employees worldwide, the firm operates in more than 70 countries, including the US, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, and China. Its reported revenue for 2021 was $115 billion.

See Also: How Translation Services Improve Global Communication During a Crisis

5. Ford

Ford, a carmaker, epitomizes global success for America’s family-owned businesses. Henry Ford founded the Dearborn, Michigan-based company back in 1903.

From there, the company has expanded its operations to more than 125 countries today, including the US, UK, Germany, Mexico, and Brazil, with many locations hosting its car assembling or manufacturing plants.

Ford employs about 186,000 people, and in 2022, the business generated $136.3 billion in revenue.

6. Patagonia

Founded in 1973 by Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia specializes in outdoor gear.

The founder started by selling rock climbing and alpine clothing and has since developed his original concept into a leading global brand that’s environmentally sensitive.

Patagonia operates over 70,000 stores worldwide in multiple countries like the U.S., South Korea, Argentina, and Japan. It has 1,000 employees and reported a revenue of $209.1 million in 2021, according to Zippia.com.

7. Aldi

Two German brothers, Karl and Theo Albrecht, founded Aldi in 1946. All they wanted was to create a family discount store to provide goods to consumers at affordable prices.

From that noble concept, the supermarket has grown into a global retail giant with about 11,500 locations worldwide and approximately 1,600 in the U.S.

The company’s net sales reached  $134 billion in 2021. With over 80,000 employees, Aldi has a presence in major countries, including the UK & Ireland, the US, Australia, Germany, and Canada.  

Also Read: How to Manage Diverse Workforces

8. Berkshire Hathaway

While Berkshire Hathaway was founded in 1939, Warren Buffet bought a controlling stake in it in 1965.

He eventually turned the company into his investment vehicle, which he utilized to acquire stocks or buy whole companies in industries like energy, insurance, freight rail transportation, and manufacturing.

Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, the international conglomerate has 372,000 employees and generated revenue of $276.1 billion in 2022. 

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is available in 12 countries, including the US, Canada, The Bahamas, and India.

However, being a conglomerate, it has its presence in every country through its subsidiaries and investments in companies like Coca-Cola, Apple, and American Express. 

Wrapping Up: Translation Services Mission-Critical for Global Success

Professional translation services are essential resources that most of these companies that have gone global successfully have utilized for years. In your company, you can often have non-English-speaking foreign employees. 

As a result, it’s important for you to invest in employee handbook translation to make the handbook readable for all your employees. This will help all your employees to be on the same page while following federal laws and regulations.

Furthermore, to better engage your global audiences, you should also utilize marketing material translation so that your marketing campaign reaches every individual.

With professional human translators, who are well-versed in English, Arabic, Spanish, and Mandarin,

GMR Transcription Services, Inc. is committed to providing 99% accurate transcripts. Not only this, but we can also provide your document in customized format and specific templates as per your company’s requirements.

Whether it’s an important document, your marketing material, or just an employee handbook, we can help. Register today for transcription and translation assistance.

Also Read: Controlling Your Computer With Your Fingertip

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Beth Worthy

Beth Worthy

Beth Worthy is the Cofounder & President of GMR Transcription Services, Inc., a California-based company that has been providing accurate and fast transcription services since 2004. She has enjoyed nearly ten years of success at GMR, playing a pivotal role in the company's growth. Under Beth's leadership, GMR Transcription doubled its sales within two years, earning recognition as one of the OC Business Journal's fastest-growing private companies. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids.