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30th
January 2010
WLBL’s
Export Centre Opens
The
following piece consists of excerpts from the
welcome speech delivered at the opening ceremony
by Jonathan Hall, Managing Director, WLBL. We
present the section specifically dealing with
the new export thrust of the Company:
“Export is fundamental to national economic
growth and development. The strongest economies
are driven by export. In small island markets
there is a limit to how much the local market
can propel growth. So Export becomes the lead
driver.
“From the earliest days WLBL has been
exporting to Caricom. In 2005 Heineken closed
the brewery in Curacao in response to the ending
of the brewery’s fiscal and import protection
by the Curacao Government. This brewery was
then re located to St Lucia to provide WLBL
additional export capacity.
“In 2006 the brewery extension was completed
at a cost of $25 million. Today we celebrate
the conclusion of the final phase with the opening
of this Export Centre. This phase has improved
the warehousing, loading and logistics of moving
export product through the brewery into the
waiting containers. These physical improvements
have led to better control, reduced costs, and
a cleaner safer working environment. The project
has been managed by our Chief Engineer Maclean
James and the brewery team on time and on budget.
A good job well done.
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“WLBL is
the largest export manufacturer on the island.
Our exports are now over 50% of our volume.
Trinidad and Barbados account for 70% of this
export volume. And we also export to St Vincent
and the Grenadines, Grenada, Antigua, Dominica,
St Kitts, Guadeloupe and Belize. And annually
ship a container of Piton to London for the
famous Notting Hill Carnival.
“It is not only Heineken beer. In Barbados
you will be delighted to learn we have a growing
Piton market. To Trinidad we ship Green Sands.
And to all markets we ship Piton shandies
and maltas.
“WLBL has taken measures to bolster
export operations and next month will have
based here an Area Export Manager to drive
business within Caricom. And will start exports
of the new Dark brew beer, Rooster Select.
“We were greatly honoured last Saturday
to be awarded by the St Lucia Chamber of Commerce
three of their business awards for 2009. For
Marketing Excellence and Innovation for the
launch of Rooster Select, for Business of
the Year 2009, and most relevantly for to-day,
for Exporter of the Year.”
Discuss
Story
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