The ANSA McAl Group of Companies last evening formally launched its US$15 million subsidiary – ANSA Building Solutions (ABS) – which focuses on meeting the demands of the booming infrastructure sector here and promised to continue bringing state-of-the-art services, in addition to a planned further investment of more than US$12 million.
“We have been in the construction building material business for quite some time and over a decade ago we started importing some of that material into Guyana and we continue to do so. We determined that given the development of the Guyanese construction sector, it became important and sensible to carve out the construction material side of our business, outside of our regular distribution trading business, and give it its own focus, its own management; its own executive focus, so as to support that heightened construction sector,” Chief Executive Officer of the ANSA Group, Anthony Sabga III, told the Stabroek News at the launch held at the Marriott Hotel, Kingston, last evening.
The Group CEO pointed to the paint products offered by the Trinidad-based company, as he asserted that the quality and environmentally safe mixtures put his company above the rest.
And as he thanked Guyanese for supporting the company, he said that feedback from the private sector was also exceptional. “We make world-class products. Our clay blocks have certain attributes far exceptional to concrete, they are fire resistant, moisture resistant, far lighter, better compression, et cetera. You don’t need as much steel in the building, it is quicker to assemble and also easier to plaster. It is a cost-saving block,” he said of company’s number one marketed building block.
Head of the company’s construction sector, Christian Llanos, echoed much of what Sabga said, as he also informed that the company will be employing some 45 more persons to the new department.
Some of those employees will be trained in Trinidad and get to see firsthand how the company generates more than the 2,000 colours of paint that it offers.
Transfer of skills will be a key focus for the company as Llanos said that training will be a key component in all of the company’s investments. “We will bring people here to train the population, to train workers, to train and bring up the skills of staff, so a lot of what we are about is training our team because the growth expected in Guyana is only possible with good people”, he said.
Meanwhile, Private Sector Commission Chairman, Komal Singh, pointed out that the ANSA Group has had a significant presence in Guyana since 1992, for which the private sector is forever grateful. “The company has had the opportunity to grow along with our nation, witnessing each step of the way and has become a big part of us. Since their initial introduction they have become a household name in Guyana as well,” he said.
And as Guyana begins its transformation as a result of oil and gas, he said that the private sector hopes that the company stays on to help. “With the current rapid transformation that Guyana is going through as a result of the oil and gas sector, agriculture and many others, ANSA McAL has the opportunity to take a very strategic role to help us achieve our macroeconomic objectives to sculpt our country into what we want it to be. With their wide expertise and access to finance, it is the best time to continue in their goals especially in Guyana, more specifically in terms of the infrastructure plans that stretch very far into Guyana’s future,” Singh said.
“Today marks another significant milestone for ANSA with the launching of ABS in Guyana. It shows clearly the amount of faith and trust they place into our country’s economy and what our future holds. Guyana on a whole has grown a very positive international reputation in terms of being the fastest growing economy in the world. A position of such brings a plethora of opportunities in multiple sectors around the country such as agriculture, tourism, construction, housing and the list rambles on as we keep looking closer,” he added.
He told the company that their contribution here has not gone unnoticed by the Private Sector Commission. “We are elated to continue to work with them as they build their presence and scope in Guyana as we all grow together,” he said.
Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill, who spoke at the launch, underscored government’s investment agenda and said that government is “not against companies who are making money…because when you make more money, we make more money.”
To locals, he urged that they not be afraid to invest and implored those “sitting on the fence to find your own niche,” knowing that they have a government that will support their dreams.
