SHERWIN-WILLIAMS has called time on more than half a century of paint manufacturing in Jamaica, ending production at its White Marl factory and shifting to imports to supply products that have long rolled off its production lines in St Catherine.

The US paint and coatings giant confirmed to the Jamaica Observer that July 31 was its final day of manufacturing at the facility, ending a production run that began in 1974 and at one point included a full range of automotive, decorative and industrial finishes.

Long-standing products including Kem Flat, Kem Gloss, Kem Low Sheen, and Sherwil Special were among those produced at White Marl. Sherwin-Williams said products previously manufactured there will now be made at other facilities within its international network and imported into Jamaica.

The company, however, declined to say where that production is being moved, leaving unanswered whether Jamaica will be supplied from North America, Latin America or a combination of plants within its global network. It also did not clarify whether all the familiar product lines produced at White Marl will continue to be sold locally.

“Sherwin-Williams confirms that manufacturing operations at its St Catherine facility permanently concluded on July 31, 2026,” the company said in response to questions from the Business Observer.

“Products previously manufactured at St Catherine will be produced at other Sherwin-Williams manufacturing locations and imported into Jamaica, then distributed through our established local supply chain network to Sherwin-Williams stores and other retailers across the island.”

The decision effectively reverses a journey that began more than five decades ago when Sherwin-Williams moved beyond importing and distributing paint in Jamaica and invested in local production.

The company entered Jamaica in the 1960s as a marketing operation, importing products for sale locally and through dealers across the Caribbean. It established the White Marl factory in 1972 and formally began production in 1974.

By 2023, Sherwin-Williams was outlining plans to expand its Jamaican business and sharpening its position against competitors such as Berger, BH and EdgeChem.

At the time, the Business Observer reported that the company had been recording double-digit growth over the previous five years and was continuing to invest in its retail network. Then District Manager Kenneth Richardson said Sherwin-Williams was relying on new products, improved quality and technology to differentiate itself in the market, including in the hotel and hospitality sector.

Technology was also being deployed inside the White Marl factory to scan paint formulas, allowing for faster mixing and production.

“A key part of our strategy is providing the market with products and services that cannot be matched by our competitors,” Richardson said at the time.

The company was also looking beyond Jamaica. While it was already exporting some products to Barbados, Richardson said the immediate priority was to build the Jamaican operation before making a bigger push into the wider Caribbean.

“We know that there is potential in Jamaica but also in the Caricom region. We do some exporting right now to Barbados, but even as we look at the potential outside Jamaica, what we are trying to do first is to continue to grow locally and then expand further out,” Richardson said.

Three years later, Sherwin-Williams has 24 Jamaican stores, up from 23 at the time, but local manufacturing is no longer part of that growth model.

The closure takes on added significance given the role White Marl played in Sherwin-Williams’ wider Caribbean footprint.

The company’s 2025 annual report identifies Jamaica as its only principal manufacturing location in the Caribbean, even as Sherwin-Williams maintains a retail presence across several markets in the region.

At the end of 2025, its Paint Stores Group operated stores in Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, St Maarten, Jamaica, Curaçao, Aruba, St Lucia, and Barbados.

The closure therefore removes the only Caribbean manufacturing operation identified among the company’s principal facilities in its 2025 annual report, leaving the company with an extensive sales and distribution network in the region but production located elsewhere.

The warehouse at Sherwin-Williams’ White Marl complex in St Catherine. The company says decommissioning of the manufacturing section will continue into 2027 without affecting product availability, quality or customer service. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

The Jamaican decision also comes as the US parent has been simplifying parts of its wider manufacturing and supply chain operations.

In its 2025 annual report, Sherwin-Williams said its simplification programme was aimed at identifying and eliminating complexities that did not add value. Among the initiatives cited was the consolidation of 14 resin platforms into two and the simplification of more than 500 product formulas.

The company said those changes could help avoid manufacturing capital expenditure, reduce supply risks and simplify manufacturing processes and costs.

Sherwin-Williams also describes its global supply chain, which covers procurement, manufacturing and distribution, as a competitive advantage. During 2025 it continued asset optimisation efforts in Europe, including the rationalisation of three sites.

The company has not said that the White Marl closure formed part of those specific initiatives.

Instead, Sherwin-Williams said the decision reflected its efforts to better organise production across its manufacturing network and improve operational flexibility.

“Sherwin-Williams regularly reviews its business operations to ensure alignment to enterprise priorities and strengthen operational flexibility. Harmonizing production across our manufacturing network enhances our ability to respond quickly to customer and market needs while maintaining high levels of service and product quality,” the company said.

It stressed that the decision was not the result of the performance of the St Catherine factory or its employees and said the closure was not part of a broader announced shutdown of Sherwin-Williams operations across the Caribbean or Latin America.

Twenty-one employees entered consultations related to the closure. Seven were transferred to other positions within the company, while the remaining 14 were separated.

Sherwin-Williams said those workers received all legally required payments along with additional voluntary benefits and resources to assist with their transition.

Despite the end of manufacturing, Sherwin-Williams retains a sizeable Jamaican operation.

The company said it employs approximately 180 people and operates 24 company-owned retail stores, serving more than 27,000 customers through its various sales channels.

Its distribution centre at White Marl will also remain operational, while decommissioning of the manufacturing section is expected to continue into 2027.

The company said that the decommissioning of the manufacturing section would not affect product quality, availability or customer service.

Asked whether replacing locally manufactured products with imports could have implications for prices, particularly with freight, foreign exchange and other import-related costs now forming part of the supply chain, Sherwin-Williams declined to give a projection.

“As a matter of practice, we do not speculate about future pricing, which can be influenced by a range of market and business factors,” the company said.

It said Jamaica nevertheless remains an important market.

“We will continue to invest in our people, stores and distribution network while providing customers with the quality products and dependable service they have come to expect from Sherwin-Williams.”