OMNI Industries Limited has dispatched its first shipment of paint buckets and lids to a leading paint manufacturer in Barbados, marking another milestone in its bid to transform from a domestic thermoplastics supplier into a regional player.

The consignment — 4,600 five-gallon buckets — left the company’s Twickenham Park plant in St Catherine last week, expanding a regional export strategy that began earlier this year with sales into Guyana.

The Barbados entry follows Omni’s first shipments to Guyana in May, which have since widened to include construction buckets and garden hoses for the fast-growing oil and gas economy. Management says the goal is to have exports account for roughly 20 per cent of revenues over the medium term, supported by incremental plant upgrades and new product development.

Vincent Clarke, director of sales and marketing, said buyers across the Caribbean are increasingly favouring regional sourcing over imports from Asia or North America.

“Customers want strong, affordable products they can depend on. The benefits of buying from us right here in the Region outweigh sourcing from other parts of the world, in terms of price, logistics, and the trade advantages that come with Caricom,” Clarke said in a press statement.

To sustain the export drive, Omni has been fine-tuning its logistics.

Warehouse manager Daniel Chambers said ensuring that “every container moves smoothly from factory floor to port” is now a core focus, with systems in place to guarantee that shipments arrive on schedule and in good condition.

The company has already been making capital investments in plant efficiency and new moulds, and is weighing whether to add production shifts if export orders accelerate.

Beyond Barbados and Guyana, Omni has identified Nicaragua as a potential growth market, citing its booming construction sector and demand for durable, affordable building and packaging materials. Management believes the same regional supply model can be replicated there, leveraging Caricom ties and Jamaica’s manufacturing base.

The company’s medium-term strategy fits into a broader push by Jamaican manufacturers to capture more value within the Caribbean Single Market, particularly as regional governments and private-sector groups press for greater intra-Caricom trade. Industry stakeholders note that with Jamaica seeking to expand non-traditional exports, plastics and packaging solutions could become an important niche.

Omni’s regional ambitions come at a time when Jamaica’s manufacturers are grappling with higher shipping costs, logistics bottlenecks, and stiff competition from Asian suppliers. By focusing on nearby markets and leveraging tariff advantages under Caricom, Omni hopes to carve out a defensible share.

If the strategy succeeds, Omni could join a growing cohort of Jamaican firms — including food, beverage, and construction suppliers — that are building regional footprints as a hedge against the limits of the domestic market.

— Karena Bennett

An employee loads Omni buckets into a container as part of the company’s first shipment to Barbados.