JFP Limited is now looking beyond the immediate disruption caused by Hurricane Melissa, with management pointing to a full recovery by early 2027 as activity in the tourism sector begins to stabilise.

But months after the storm, the effects are still filtering through the business.

The commercial furniture manufacturer, whose work is closely tied to hotels and restaurants, saw a number of projects stall late last year as the hurricane swept through western Jamaica — delays that have since pushed into 2026 and weighed on overall performance.

“Melissa did slow down a couple of projects we had that we intended to finish last year that dragged on into the new year. Yes, that did hurt our sales,” CEO Metry Seaga told the Jamaica Observer.

JFP’s business with the hotel and restaurant industry runs deep. The industry accounts for roughly 75 to 80 per cent of its business, meaning any disruption to the tourism sector tends to show up quickly in its order book.

The company’s latest audited results show that the impact is already feeding through to the numbers, with revenue for the year ended December 2025 falling to $311.2 million from $407.5 million a year earlier, as project timelines slipped and new contract activity slowed in the aftermath of the storm. Audit disclosures also point to delays and cancellations within the hospitality segment, along with slower collections from customers.

Nevertheless, the company returned to being profitable during the year.

JFP reported net profit of $254.9 million, reversing a loss of $117.1 million in 2024 — a turnaround largely supported by a one-off gain on the disposal of assets.

The property sale, which generated $361.7 million in other income, has been a recurring feature of the company’s recent reset, following earlier efforts to unlock value from its balance sheet and reposition the business.

Strip that out, however, and the underlying business is still contending with weaker demand and uneven project flow. The strain is also evident in the company’s cash position, which fell to $1.18 million at the end of 2025 from $37.9 million a year earlier.

For Seaga, the focus now is on what comes next.

He told Sunday Finance that the company is using the current period to strengthen its position within the hotel sector, with an eye on capturing a larger share of contracts as rebuilding activity gains pace.

“It’s given us an opportunity to reposition ourselves in the hotel industry to make sure that we are considered as one of the main suppliers of hotel furniture in Jamaica,” he said.

That comes as work in the tourism sector gradually starts to move again, though not at a steady pace just yet.

“We expect full recovery by the end of 2026, first quarter of 2027,” Seaga added.