Suriname-based SEOS Sustainable Solutions, a sustainable energy solutions firm, has established a presence here with a US$1 million investment in partnership with Floor It Guyana.
The newcomer to the local energy solutions market aims to provide efficient lighting solutions and other eco-friendly products to industrial, large scale commercial businesses, and government-owned buildings.
“…We fell in love with this government’s vision of driving economic development while simultaneously combating global warming issues. SEOS is here because we truly believe we can contribute to the country’s vision and the government vision by making that a reality. We are focused on Solar PV energy efficient lighting, energy efficient water heating, and water conservation,” Saïd Muntslag, Chief Operations Officer (COO) disclosed as he spoke of the venture here. He noted that his partnership with Floor It Guyana is a concrete showing of the collaboration as they will look to develop local content and maximise on opportunities here.
Guyana is their third location as they have already established a presence in Suriname and Belize.
During the soft launch at the Floor It showroom in Queenstown, Georgetown on Friday, Muntslag emphasised that his company is focused on helping the government to achieve its sustainable development goals.
He pointed out that his company is focused on providing lighting as a service to industrial and government operated buildings. The service, he explained, will see them designing, supplying, installing, and maintaining lights in buildings. According to him, the options they are offering are not only environmentally friendly but reduces a company’s carbon footprints significantly.
The company offers turnkey solutions as well as support to existing electrical infrastructure. Muntslag explained further that they will be offering state-of-the-art lighting options to customers.
“People that use lighting products are not looking for the physical products, they are looking for the benefits that that product can give them. It can be light, it can be the energy reduction, the atmosphere and positive climate it creates in a restaurant or a hotel… lighting as a service is unique to this country or any country in the world and we seek to provide that service,” he explained.
Expanding further on the business model, Muntslag related “…lighting as a service where we will give you what you need which is light and we will do the design and make the upfront investment. We enter into a 5 to10 year contract and during that time we always ensure these lights function as required and if something goes wrong we make sure that we fix it within 8 to 24 hours. This means, the company can concentrate on their operations.”
The company’s COO related that they have been working with Signify, formerly Phillips branded energy efficient products, and have secured the authorised dealership for the company in Guyana.
He assured that they have technical staff available to deal with customers and assist in rectifying any issues that might develop. They are already working with several clients in Guyana, he noted.
He further disclosed that they will be looking for opportunities to work on large-scale projects, such as airport lighting, roadway lighting, lighting for companies in the oil and gas sector, and mining companies, among others.
Muntslag added that his company will also be offering products such as waterless urinals, which use the patented EcoTrap®, a simple, but proven vertical trap principle.
These urinals, he said, save money and are a positive contribution to the environment as the urine is trapped inside the EcoTrap through a floating layer of the BlueSeal, a product which creates a barrier, preventing sewer gases and urine odors from entering the atmosphere of the restroom. Once the EcoTrap is filled, the urine flows down the tube and into the sewage system. It is an excellent product for water conservation as it aids with reducing carbon footprints and eliminates the usage of millions of gallons of water normally used to flush waste.
Also in terms of water conservation, the company offers shower heads that help prevent water over-use, by the allowing the user to have control of the outflow.
In the long term, the Muntslag indicated that the company is mulling the development of solar farms and to retail that energy to its customers as a part of its lighting solutions package.
Chief Executive Officer of Floor It Guyana, Andre Cummings yesterday said that the collaboration is a result of mutual synergies and goals. Cummings declared that he was happy to be involved in the partnership and looks forward to serving the Guyanese market with sustainable products.
He said with Guyana’s economy expanding and government’s policies in place to drive growth in the economy, the collusion and synergy is fitting and timely. He assured that they will be around to serve the Guyanese market for a long time with quality products.
Cummings also announced that the partnership will not only be about business and profits but they plan to honour their corporate social responsibility. They will be assisting with feeding programmes and training. In the next month, they will be collaborating with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security on a children’s feeding programme. SEOS Sustainable Solutions, it was announced, has already pledged US$1,000 to the cause.
