Couva distributors make waves in the field of PVC pipes

2021-11-24 02:45:03 By : Ms. Rebecca Du

New Wave Marketing (NWM) was born as a small family business at a busy intersection along the southern main road in Couva. It has now transformed from a distribution company to one of TT's leading mid-sized manufacturers. The company produces industrial PVC pipes and won the 2018 TT Manufacturers Association (TTMA) Manufacturer of the Year Award.

Jaio Ramkissoon, Managing Director of NWM recently took a delegation from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, including Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon, TTMA and the media to visit the company's factory in Kuvakolkata. The factory covers an area of ​​5 acres and has 55 permanent employees who work eight hours in shifts from Monday to Friday.

Minister of Trade and Industry Paula Gopee-Scoon learned how to test PVC pipes with a bust tester during a visit to Couva's New Wave Marketing. -CHEQUANA Wheeler

Ramkissoon said the company was founded in 1983 by his parents and brothers. Although his brother chose to stay in the hardware industry, he ventured into the distribution field and eventually became a wholesale distributor of pipes produced by local manufacturers.

"Once I said I would not be a manufacturer, if my children want them to be, but I think that due to the changes of others, you have to do something at some point. Therefore, when the company I used to distribute When deciding to make some changes to its company, we decided to enter the manufacturing field, and these changes have nothing to do with our investment, so we decided to enter the manufacturing field." He said that since the decision was made in 2018, the company has not only won the country The Sanitation Foundation (NSF) certified, which is the gold standard for food safety, and also decided to expand the facilities from China by introducing the most advanced equipment.

Overall, he estimates that he has invested US$30-40 million in the company. NSF International (formerly the National Sanitation Foundation) is an independent non-profit organization based in the United States that is responsible for certifying food service equipment and ensuring that it is designed and manufactured in a way that promotes food safety.

An employee inspects 3-inch PVC pipes at Kuwa’s New Wave Marketing (NWM). NWM now operates throughout the Caribbean. -CHEQUANA Wheeler

He said that NSF conducts three surprise audits of the company's premises every year. If their inspectors wait for more than 30 minutes or do not allow them to enter the factory, they will "record" a company.

He said that random internal tests are carried out on pipes and other equipment on each shift to ensure that they meet international standards. The company needs to import certified manufacturing process raw materials from the United States to ensure that it continues to be certified.

Ramkissoon said that as it expands into regional markets such as Saint Kitts, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, it has begun to earn foreign exchange.

An employee checks the settings of the extruder at Couva's New Wave Marketing (NWM). NWM uses equipment from China to manufacture PVC pipes. -CHEQUANA Wheeler

He said that one of the difficulties the industry faces is that the company is in a "price war" with other local manufacturers. "Manage with local competitors. But this is expected, so we hope that no matter how long it takes, we can get through the difficulties."

A 20 ml PVC tube comes out of the sealing machine and is then fed into the flaring machine at New Wave Marketing in Couva. -CHEQUANA Wheeler

At the same time, Gopee-Scoon stated that she was "very satisfied" with the factory and its operations, and saw a bright future for the company, and even promised to help in obtaining foreign exchange.

"We are particularly impressed by your standards. NSF 14 and 61 involve toxicity and structure, and you meet the American testing standards, so this means that you are truly world-class. You also sell to WASA and the competition is there. , But I know that with your latest equipment, you can mass produce at a faster speed, and of course you can put your products in other parts of the region for consumption."