Building materials company Jamaica Aggregates is expressing optimism in remaining a dominant player in the local mining industry, this as it continues its mission of transforming the “rock”, despite the negative effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Formed out of a joint venture between the Jamaica Pre-Mix Company and LafargeHolcim, a building solutions firm based in Switzerland, the construction and building company has been in operation for some 60 years. Already operating at the Yallahs River in St Thomas and the Wag Water River in St Mary, the marl and granite producers last year opened a retail yard in Portmore.

Andrew Preston, managing director, said that the company’s expansion to Portmore was to facilitate additional sales and services in the Middlesex county of the island.

“Our Portmore site sits on the Dyke Road, opposite the Waterford community. We opened the site last year to enable customers on the west side of Kingston to have easier access to our materials and cut back on the travel time and cost of driving across town and into St Thomas to pick up their sand and gravel requirements. The site has become progressively busier as news gets around. We stock all grades of sand and gravel and customers will always be met with a friendly smile from a wonderful staff,” Preston told Sunday Finance.

“Our partner, Jamaica Pre-Mix, plans to open a new concrete plant at the same location soon, and we are looking currently at what other products our customers might like us to stock,” he added.

Preston said that the move to their newest location, coupled with the effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic, has not been an easy feat for the company, but the business has remained resolute in delivering on its mission of quality construction aggregates and a consistent, reliable supply experience.

“We have all had to live with the threat that COVID-19 presents to us and our families, however, I am really proud of how we have reacted to what has been put in front of us. Through hard work, dedication and looking out for each other, we have been able to create safe working environments for our people and continue to serve and look out for our customers,” he said while also commending his staff, which consist of about 75 people, none of whom he said has been laid off during the period.

“COVID has presented us with an enormous challenge and has certainly had an effect on our business. As a company, our number one priority will always be the health and safety of our people, so as we watched the virus spreading throughout the world, we worked very hard to put in place measures to protect our people as best as possible, which in turn protects our business. We are lucky to have an incredible workforce and their response to such unprecedented circumstances has been fantastic — following guidelines, contributing ideas and looking out for each other,” he said in outlining the company’s strategic response.

“We have had to make some tough decisions regarding recruitment, pay reviews and spending, but we are proud to have been able to maintain the employment of all our full-time staff and through their hard work we are now seeing some recovery in our business and are optimistic about the future,” he further said to the Sunday Finance.

The company, in hopes of recovering lost revenues due to fallout from the pandemic, said that it will be very aggressive in taking advantage of new opportunities as it seeks to grow the business and provide quality service to customers.

“We are a company that is looking to grow and further develop in line with the continued development of the country. The [local] limestone industry has a major potential in supporting the economic development of the island and as such we would very much like to be a part of that. “COVID has put a number of development opportunities on hold, but thanks to the work our people have done, and in close coordination with the Jamaican Government— we believe that 2021 will see us continuing to work on opportunities for growth, including those within the limestone sector. We are revisiting our development plans and hope to very soon be back in growth and acquisition mode,” he said.

Also operating an export business at the Kingston Harbour, the company hopes to further expand into overseas markets, of which it currently exports to the Caribbean and Florida.