BERGER Paints Limited is expanding its footprint in the regional and domestic coatings industry with a $130-million investment to upgrade its trowel-on facility at its Spanish Town Road location. The expansion doubles production capacity, improving efficiency and meeting rising market demand.

“We made the decision to invest significantly in this plant — not just to serve Jamaica, but to meet demand across the entire Caribbean. The new machinery is capable of producing 980,000 litres in a single shift,” said Chairman Christian Llanos during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday.

In 2022 and 2023, Berger Paints struggled to keep up with strong demand, as its previous equipment produced only 450,000 litres per year across two shifts, leading to order delays of up to two weeks. With a single shift, Berger Paints can now produce one million litres annually. If demand continues to rise, the company has the flexibility to expand to a two-shift operation, effectively doubling output. Llanos highlighted several advantages of the upgraded facility, including increased manufacturing efficiency, improved production processes, and greater precision in colour matching. He noted that the enhancements would also allow Berger Paints to fulfil customised orders with greater speed and flexibility.

“This expansion will enable us to meet demand across the region, not just locally, while also supporting our sister plants across Caricom and showcasing the best of Jamaican manufacturing,” said General Manager Dwaine Williams.

Berger Paints is already a major producer of Trowel-On and textile coatings in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. The company currently supplies products to Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and the Cayman Islands, with previous exports to Belize. However, plans are underway to further extend its regional reach.

“We do supply countries outside of Jamaica presently, and we have further interest,” said Operations Manager Ross Albert in an interview with the Jamaica Observer.

Locally, Berger is also looking to broaden its client base, targeting architects, contractors, homeowner associations, and development groups.

“They [contractors] are doing new construction here in Jamaica, and we want to get into that space, but at the same time, we are throwing some bodies on the ground as well as our sister companies in Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana,” Albert said.

Currently, 95 per cent of Berger Paints’ products are locally manufactured, with over 30 per cent of its suppliers being local businesses. While touring the newly upgraded plant, Albert led a demonstration of the manufacturing process, from start to wall application, showcasing three different types of trowel-on coatings. Beyond increasing production capacity, the new facility is designed to drive product innovation. Berger plans to launch a variety of locally manufactured offerings, including roof compounds, joint compounds, and ready-to-use crack fillers. Some of these new products have already reached the market and are available at hardware stores, with several core project customers already incorporating them into their work. This expanded capacity, along with new innovations, could further contribute to Berger Paints’ profitability. The company recorded a 4 per cent increase in revenue last year and achieved a turnaround in pre-tax profits, shifting from a loss of $255 million in 2023 to a profit of over $150 million in 2024.

(From left) Chairman Christian Llanos; Minister of Investment Senator Aubyn Hill; and General Manager Dwaine Williams cut the ribbon at the new facility.

Evrol Thompson from Scott Painting demonstrates the application of Trowel-On following the tour of the new trowel-on facility at Berger Paints, on Spanish Town Road.

WILLIAMS…“This expansion will enable us to meet demand across the region, not just locally, while also supporting our sister plants across CARICOM and showcasing the best of Jamaican manufacturing.”

Operations Manager Ross Albert leads a tour of the new facility, demonstrating the production process to application and showcasing the new machines designed to enhance efficiency and reduce production time.

Berger Paints’ Trowel-On product being filled for sale.

From left: General Manager Dwaine Williams, Minister of Investment Senator Aubyn Hill, and Chairman Christian Llanos observe the packaging process as new machines lift large buckets of Trowel-On, designed to improve efficiency and ease the workload for employees. (Photos: Karl Mclarty)