Harris Paints Opens New Manufacturing Plant and Flagship Paint Store in Guyana
Harris Paints has officially opened it sixth production facility in the region, in one of the fastest growing economies in the world – neighbouring Guyana.
The move will free up capacity across Harris’ other regional plants and further increase their ability to provide a significant volume of products, quickly to large, local and export projects across the other markets they serve.
The new state of the art manufacturing plant and flagship Pro Paint Centre at Beterverwagting (BV), East Coast Demerara marks a major milestone in the company’s over 30-year history in Guyana where the brand is very well recognized and established.
Chief Operating Officer of Harris Paints International, Marguerite Desir said, “This investment is a testament to our belief in Guyana’s potential, and our commitment to supporting the country’s remarkable transformation. With this new plant, we aim to enhance our capacity to meet the growing needs of our customers, continue to deliver high-quality products and contribute to the nation’s economic development.”
The plant will house the production process that includes raw material selection, mixing, filling and packaging and will operate to strict high quality management standards in line with the Group’s commitment to continual improvement and excellence. All Harris Paints facilities are proudly accredited to the ISO 9001 international standards.
A key feature of the facility is design measures that incorporate eco-friendly practices that protect natural resources.
The company plans to harvest as much rainwater as possible to be used in the paint making process, potentially up to 48,000 gallons a year, rather than drawing this from public water sources. Up to 1500 gallons of rainwater will also be used to clean tanks and the wastewater will further be treated allowing much of it to be reused and the remainder to be safely disposed. These sustainability efforts reflect Harris Paints’ dedication to environmental stewardship, reducing waste, and contributing to a greener future.
Known as an innovation-driven company, two years ago, the Harris Group switched to a new Quantum i12 proprietary colour platform which greatly increased operating efficiencies and colour results.
In addition to the rapid pace of development in Guyana, Harris Paints’ International Chief Operating Officer, Marguerite Desir explained that the Quantum system has been a significant factor in the company’s expansion plans. “Quantum allows us to produce any colour from one master base instead of having to stock four plus different bases of the same product and at the same time we are seeing increased colour accuracy and even better fade resistance which makes us best by test in several categories”, said the COO. This technology has helped us reduce complexity, deliver cost savings and it is opening doors globally for Harris Paints in countries like Bangladesh, Latin American, Europe, North and South America.
In addition to the plant, the premises at BV will be the home of a new Harris Paints flagship store, a modern retail space offering expert advice, project guidance and a comprehensive selection of high-quality paints and supplies.
The Centre will feature Harris Paints’ own quality decorative lines which features many key products that have been internationally tested and certified by the Master Painters Institute, North America’s premier benchmarking agency, recognizing Harris Paints products in the same class for quality and performance as top global paint brands.
It will also offer a variety of specialized solutions for Guyana’s many growing industries. As the authorized distributor of International Paint, Harris Paints supplies world class protective solutions to the marine, oil, and gas sectors; it also supplies high performance commercial solutions to clients looking for waterproofing, roofing, floor coatings and other specific needs.
“Guyana’s strategic location presents immense opportunities for growth,” stated Mrs. Desir who estimates a number of new positions to be added in the country. Harris Paints is currently sold in 15 countries throughout the region and is poised to expand into Latin America.
