Built on a history of continuous expansions, Omni Industries Limited continues to turn the wheel of innovation as it goes after increased revenues and greater opportunities locally and across the region. As the first company to list on the Jamaica Stock Exchange this year, the thermoplastics and industrial products giant has throughout the decades remained busy, laying the foundation for significant future growth.

Founded in 1974 by the late Uwe Kumst, a German export merchant from Hamburg, the company, following a first wave of expansions in the late 1900s, has today grown to become a leader in the industrial, construction and thermoplastics industry.

“Starting with plastic garden hoses, the company quickly grew to manufacture PVC conduit pipes for electrical use, and shortly after started the extrusion of a wide range of PVC water pipes,” Managing Director Patrick Kumst said in an overview of the company’s history.

After adding Wilfried Bergmeier, a German plastic engineer, in 1984, the company’s expansion plans continued with an injection-moulding department added, and the manufacture of PVC pipe fittings commencing. A further strengthening of the management team which saw the addition of marketing expert, now chairman, Von White some two years later and Patrick Kumst in 1996, fortified the company’s effort in putting together a stellar team that would build on the legacy started by the senior Kumst.

“My father wanted to build something from nothing. His background wasn’t in engineering but more in trading and distribution. It was his passion to become a manufacturer. So, when he came to Jamaica at the age of 22, he started small with one extrusion machine under a mango tree, producing garden hoses. As the years went by, there was a demand for more products, and the company increased its offerings, moving on to PVC electrical conduit pipes and other products. And since then, we kept growing until we became one of the biggest players in the industry,” the younger Kumst said, while noting that the eventual success of the company stemmed from its ability to expand into new areas and to add new products.

Most proud of its acquisition of Thermo Plastics Limited in 2002, a company which stood as one of the Caribbean’s largest manufacturers and distributor of plastic products, Omni following this acquisition said it has since been able to enhance its already thriving business in PVC pipes and fittings and domestic and industrial plastic products. This, as it becomes enabled to provide Jamaicans with more of its quality products and at competitive rates and to further expand its distribution of products to other parts of the region.

“Acquiring Thermo Plastics back in 2001 was a pivotal moment, as it allowed us to enhance our range of quality products and services. Fast forward to our recent initial public offer (IPO), which was oversubscribed and closed early — it’s a real testament to the trust and support we’ve garnered from our community. These milestones reflect the effort of our entire team and the commitment we have to serving Jamaica and the wider region with excellence,” White said.

At 50 years old, the Twickenham Park-based company now earns its revenues from three distinct market segments with construction accounting for 51 per cent of sales; industrial packaging, 38 per cent; and houseware, 11 per cent. At the end of the first three months of this year total income for the company amounted to $607 million.

With operations for the thermoplastics and industrial supplies company now powered by a strong team made up of approximately 110 persons, the company has over the last four years continued to overcome setbacks, becoming even more resilient as it chases further growth for the business.

“Omni has a long history of resilience, surviving challenging periods where many companies failed. This includes high interest rates during the fintech era, a major fire in 2013 that destroyed a significant facility, and the recent global pandemic, all without laying off employees. We prioritise the welfare of both our internal and external stakeholders, ensuring that anyone involved with the company is always well-supported,” Kumst said.

The large manufacturer now on the cusp of entering the next half century is already very optimistic about its future prospects. Following the successes of an oversubscribed IPO in mid-May, the company’s directors have said it is very excited to commence the next leg of the journey, having a strong staff complement and some new shareholders by its side.

Poised for tremendous growth now more than ever, the company has been actively undertaking a range of retooling activities as it looks to capitalise on opportunities in the Caribbean as well as the Central and South American markets. On recently entering the Central American market, to which it now exports beer crates to countries such as Panama, the company is also now exploring other opportunities in higher growth economies such as the oil-rich Guyana along with Barbados and Trinidad. This, while remaining fixated on its plans to further beef up revenue streams.

As it rolls out a line of new products and invest in new machinery to up production capabilities, the company, Kumst said, aims to serve the local market and wider Caribbean region with excellence.

“The company has recently acquired three state-of-the-art energy-efficient units of production equipment and is in the advanced stages of acquiring another three. These new machines will enable Omni to increase its product offerings both locally and for export markets. Additionally, the company is expanding its product lines to include more plastic products such as bread trays, chairs, and tables to meet the demands of the Jamaican market and beyond,” the managing director said.

The large manufacturer, having also been instrumental in a number of commercial and state projects on the industrial side, has in its half-century history partnered with a number of developers and other large clients to supply materials for various projects. Maintaining a positive outlook for the local economy, the company aided by new energy-efficient machinery and an expanded product line, the directors positions it well to enjoy a much improved financial performance. To this end, the company has set itself a target of achieving at least 10 per cent year on year growth within the next five years.

“We are a proud Jamaican company, deeply rooted in the country’s development. So, as Jamaica continues to develop, more opportunities exist for Omni to benefit from being a part of the upcoming developments.

“We want to expand our current growth trajectory in several areas, and we will do this by using the proceeds from the IPO to upgrade existing machines, purchase new machines for expansion, and inject additional working capital into the company. We’re excited to commence the next leg of our journey,” Kumst said.