MENU

Dominica
Dominica Island
Blog

Varma Steel Establishes Manufacturing Plant in Dominica

31 August 2018 | Tags:
Varma Steel establishes factory in Dominica

Varma Steel is expected to help boost Dominica’s GDP

Varma Steel, Trinidad and Tobago’s leading residential metal roofing manufacturer, has established a factory on the island of Dominica, offering a rage of sustainable roofing solutions.

The company, known for its high quality galvanized products, has won both the BlueScope Steel Award, and the TTBS Roofing Material Certifications Award. As of August 2018, Varma Steel has been offering Dominicans a range of galvanized products, all of which meet Dominica’s housing requirement for galvanized sheets used in the construction of roofs to be a minimum 24 gauge.

In addition to 24 gauge galvanized sheets, Varma Steel also produces superior 22 gauge galvanized sheets, which are known for being thicker and less vulnerable to wind damage and adverse weather conditions.

The presence of the company in Dominica, doesn’t just present the island with a ready supply of high quality, climate resilient roofing solutions during its recover process, but also stimulates its economic growth. Varma Steel intends to source 95 percent of its employees from Dominica, as well as contract workers for trucking and transportation needs.

Varma Steel establishes factory in Dominica

A view from the outside of Varma Steel’s factory in Dominica

Additionally, due to Dominica’s ideal location in the center of the Caribbean island chain, the company will begin exporting galvanized products from Dominica – a move that will help increase the country’s Gross Domestic Product. The company’s CEO, Dr. Singh Persaud, believes that producing galvanized products on island will not only allow Dominica to recover more expediently from disasters, but also place the island in a leadership position to be able to distribute roofing material to other Caribbean countries, whenever they are affected by natural disasters.

In 2017 more than five Caribbean islands suffered significantly from the effects of hurricanes. In Dominica alone, an estimated 20,000 roofs were damaged, and 4,500 homes were completed destroyed by Hurricane Maria.

The move by Varma Steel to establish a manufacturing plant in Dominica is a testament of the investment potential available in the Caribbean island as it creates avenues that support its goal to become the first climate resilient country.