Lubricating Specialties Company (LSC), contract blender and packager of lubricants and greasers in the western USA, says it is expanding its operation in Jamaica in a bid to switch manufacturing for regional markets to the island.

LSC services independent lubricant brands in Jamaica, Central America and the Caribbean. Neil Crooks, managing director for LSC Jamaica, told the Jamaica Observer on October 20 that improvements to its plant in Jamaica have increased tank capacity to 250,000 gallons and package capacity up to 12,000,000 litres annually.

LSC Jamaica was registered in 2014. With offices located in Kingston and a factory in May Pen, Clarendon, it serves the local market. With the upgrade, it expects to begin serving Caribbean and Latin American markets on behalf of its parent company, Crooks indicated.

A company release indicated that the investment in the Jamaican upgrade was a “significant” one. Crooks declined to disclose the amount.

Factory facilities, the company indicates, “include modern laboratories capable of performing virtually all testing needed. All facilities are also operated under the ISO 9001-2008 certified quality system”.

Sydney Thwaites, president and CEO of the US operation, was quoted as saying: “LSC invested in Jamaica in order to secure a regional presence to better serve our customers in the Caribbean and Central America.

“With our roots in Jamaica, we believed that we could build an industry-leading, lubricant- manufacturing facility consistent with all of our North American facilities. Leveraging our existing supply chain, technical expertise and global network of customers, sets LSC Jamaica apart from other regional players and those that seek to enter the market,” he stated.

Crooks said in the release that he expected regional exports to begin in 2017. “Looking towards 2017, we will … also be exporting to other Caribbean countries and to the Latin American markets. Jamaica is strategically located to effectively reach many of the surrounding countries, and this is a key part of our business plan as we play our part in building and growing [the] Jamaican business,” he said.