The Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) has officially signed on as a partner in the Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA), and Jamaica Business Development Corporation’s (JBDC) export development programme, Export Max III.

The sponsorship, which is worth $6 million, will support the programme as it aims to bring 50 Jamaican SMEs closer to their export goals through capacity-building and international marketing initiatives such as trade missions.

Diane Edwards, president of JAMPRO said that “JAMPRO is really pleased to welcome the BSJ to the group of Export Max III sponsors and partners because we feel that the BSJ has such an integral role to play in preparing our exporters for the global market. They are the ones who can ensure that our exporters have the right quality standards, and the right labelling, packaging, product formulation and certifications to get into the international market.”

Edwards continued: “We believe that the BSJ is going to be a tremendous partner for this project, and will ensure the success of the 50 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that we are targeting to propel into the international market.”

Hopeton Heron, executive director at the BSJ also expressed [elation] that his company is on board with Export Max III.

“The BSJ has been working for 50 years to support manufacturers and exporters. We welcome this Export Max III project, as we intend to get new customers who are trying to get their business done but don’t know how to do so. We will take them through the ropes to ensure that they make the grade for global trade,” he said.

Through a contract signed on July 18, 2019, the partnership among these entities was only recently finalised.