ROSSCON LTD. THREE DECADES OF CARIBBEAN CONSTRUCTION EXCELLENCE WWW.ROSSCONLTD.COM
THREE DECADES O CONSTRUCTION E ROSSCON LIMITED AT A GLANCE ROSSCON LIMITED WHAT: S tructural steel fabrication specialist and construction company offering design-build services from foundation to finish WHERE: F rederick Settlement, Caroni, Trinidad and Tobago WEBSITE: www.rossconltd.com FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS IN THE CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS TO REGIONAL STEEL FABRICATION LEADER, THIS CONSTRUCTION JOURNEY REVEALS THE POWER OF LOCAL RELATIONSHIPS AND QUALITY SERVICE IN BUILDING LASTING BUSINESS SUCCESS. 1 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 12, ISSUE 08
OF CARIBBEAN EXCELLENCE In Trinidad and Tobago’s competitive steel fabrication market, which includes established players with decades of experience, Rosscon Limited distinguishes itself as one of the leading specialists after three decades of strategic evolution. The company operates from a 47,000 square foot facility in Frederick Settlement. “The company was formed by my father Stephen and his brother, Ian Rostant. They started as a very small construction company doing mainly paving works and small contracts,” Michael Rostant explains. The transition from general contracting required careful market positioning as the brothers identified roofing as their initial specialization.“Eventually they moved into the roofing side of things and grew from doing home roofs to commercial roofing, establishing roofing in Trinidad.” 2 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 12, ISSUE 08
The steel fabrication pivot occurred after 10 to 15 years, coinciding with increased demand for industrial structures across the Caribbean region. “They graduated into more construction type things and became focused on the steel fabrication side of construction,” Rostant notes. Geographic relocation accompanied this strategic shift, with the company moving from San Fernando to a more central island location. “They were known for fabricating and erecting many steel structures locally and in the Caricom market and eventually phased out of the roofing aspect of business.” Today’s facility houses automated cutting, welding, and drilling equipment alongside technical staff capable of producing detailed fabrication drawings using AutoCAD and Tekla software. BUILDING A CARIBBEAN PRESENCE Michael Rostant’s return from a decade abroad eight years ago coincided with accelerating regional tourism growth, as the 2024/2025 Caribbean tourist season achieved record-breaking visitor numbers. The company’s current geographic footprint spans multiple islands within a construction market where timber demand alone has surged 50% due to infrastructure development pressures. “Since I moved back, we’ve been growing very strong locally. We still have a presence on the islands. We’re working a lot in Grenada, St. Martin, St. Kitts right now,” Rostant says. Financial flexibility distinguishes Rosscon from competitors focused on specific project scales, allowing the company to maintain steady workflow during market fluctuations.“We would do projects from $20,000 US dollars upwards to $10 million US. We have a very wide scale of the size of projects that we would take.” The 2017-2018 government contract represented a watershed moment for demonstrating large scale capabilities. “We did one of our largest projects for the government of Trinidad where we did an entire estate in Moruga Trinidad, which was an agricultural facility with five warehouses from foundation to finish,” Rostant explains. Steel construction competes with concrete methods across roughly half of Trinidad’s commercial market, with speed and costeffectiveness driving client decisions. Commercial specialization reflects deliberate market positioning rather than organic evolution. “We are definitely more commercial-based construction companies. Not very much into residential at all,” Rostant notes. The strategic focus on warehouses, apartment complexes, and industrial facilities aligns with regional economic development patterns.“We do prefer it construction-wise. It’s faster and very 3 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 12, ISSUE 08 ROSSCON LIMITED
comparable in price. Obviously we think it’s the better route.” LOCAL NETWORKS AND LABOR RETENTION Steel import timelines of three to four months create fundamental logistical constraints for Caribbean construction companies, making domestic supplier relationships essential for project continuity. Rosscon’s supply chain strategy addresses these geographic realities through partnerships with established Trinidad hardware distributors who maintain substantial local inventory. “Our daily operation is run by 90% local suppliers, from small tools to concrete suppliers, basically everything from local suppliers here,” Rostant explains. Key partnerships include relationships with Bhagwansingh’s Hardware, Point Fortin Hardware, and Union Steel and Hardware, representing the island’s primary steel distribution network. “We call those suppliers on a daily basis,” he adds, highlighting the frequency required to maintain adequate material flow. Research suggests shortage of experienced labor is the third-highest factor affecting construction productivity in Trinidad and Tobago, with the country’s oil and gas boom intensifying competition for skilled workers across all construction trades. Industry studies reveal that lack of labor supervision and unrealistic scheduling expectations compound workforce challenges throughout the region. “Our workforce is 100% local. We’re a small familybased company and we have several employees that have been working upward of 20 years with the company, even some more from inception,” Rostant says. Employee longevity provides operational stability in a market where skilled worker mobility threatens project continuity for many competitors. “We’re family-based and very family-oriented.A lot of people come to work with us and stay. We think that’s very important, keeping good people and keeping them close to us.” CUSTOMER SERVICE AS COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Trinidad’s compact geography creates unique business dynamics where personal relationships often supersede formal procurement processes, particularly within the construction sector where project complexity demands high trust levels. Customer service frequently receives secondary priority to technical execution across Caribbean construction companies, creating differentiation opportunities for relationship-focused firms. “We do try to project that same model onto our customers. I think a lot of our work is to return 4 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 12, ISSUE 08
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400 WORD COMPANY DESCRIPTION GOES HERE Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Quisque odio nunc, tempor quis rutrum quis, feugiat gravida ante. Maecenas a tincidunt tortor. Integer ut nisl ex. Cras pellentesque dolor sit amet turpis pretium maximus. Sed hendrerit, mi at fermentum auctor, ligula lacus commodo orci, sed accumsan odio libero et risus. Cras viverra sodales lectus ut fermentum. Donec eleifend lectus et pretium laoreet.Aliquam ac nibh nisi. Donec condimentum, ex et pellentesque tincidunt, risus lacus blandit risus, at euismod nibh nulla vel ligula. Aenean fringilla molestie cursus. Praesent viverra nulla nisl, et sagittis lectus vulputate a. Nullam pharetra sapien at diam rhoncus, ac elementum orci tristique. Sed id porttitor enim. Sed enim velit, malesuada et pharetra sed, sagittis vel libero. Aliquam consequat tempus sollicitudin. Quisque egestas ultrices tincidunt. Etiam enim ipsum, porttitor ac vestibulum vitae, euismod sed orci. Curabitur sit amet aliquet ex, imperdiet vulputate justo. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Sed tempus neque ut turpis gravida, pretium tempor neque sagittis. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer vehicula bibendum lacus. Integer consectetur odio nibh, et ullamcorper felis feugiat eu. Curabitur tincidunt rhoncus urna, in luctus neque. Nullam efficitur at metus sed egestas. Nam ornare sodales dolor non lobortis.Aliquam venenatis tellus eu felis pretium molestie. In ornare lorem a ipsum vulputate posuere. Quisque efficitur dignissim ullamcorper. Donec quis metus malesuada, tincidunt lectus quis, fermentum turpis.Aenean sit amet dui sem. Nulla et dignissim justo, et varius lectus. Mauris lobortis lorem nec ex iaculis tempus. Phasellus vehicula turpis vel elit pellentesque pellentesque. Proin vel risus nibh. Sed sit amet condimentum tellus, id iaculis erat. Quisque mi elit, gravida eget risus sit amet, blandit ultricies velit. Praesent odio mi, porttitor sit amet ex aliquam, mollis viverra arcu. Fusce et erat odio. Vivamus viverra a odio non hendrerit. Donec elementum lectus in dolor pharetra sollicitudin.Vivamus at eros tortor. In elementum imperdiet velit, ac laoreet tellus ultricies sed. Vestibulum et congue odio. Duis vehicula bibendum sapien et tempus. Maecenas posuere ac sem vel gravida. Sed sit amet dapibus metus. Etiam non tellus a felis blandit feugiat vitae consequat ipsum. Ut erat lectus, rhoncus quis lectus in, tincidunt tincidunt erat. Donec et urna aliquet, posuere nibh ut, euismod purus. Vestibulum finibus volutpat tincidunt. Nulla et nulla rutrum, ultrices neque ac, vehicula diam. Donec in lorem nisi. Nam tristique, tellus quis elementum tincidunt, augue magna ullamcorper ex, nec congue quam lorem quis mi. Donec nec facilisis purus, tempor viverra lorem. BHAGWANSINGH’S HARDWARE AND STEEL INDUSTRIES LIMITED A PILLAR OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Bhagwansingh’s Hardware and Steel Industries Limited (BHSI) has been associated with the supply of construction material and general hardware for over sixty years. With these years of experience, the company has emerged as the leader in the supply of construction material in Trinidad and Tobago and the English-speaking Caribbean. The company has a range of products that can satisfy the needs of all construction requirements from domestic, commercial and industrial -sector. BHSI has positioned itself to meet the requirements of specific construction needs by manufacturing and supplying custom-made products that meet engineering specifications. BHSI is a fabricator of rebars used in the foundations for infrastructure in domestic and commercial buildings. Notable projects in the fabrication are the columns in the overpass at Grand Bazaar, rebars for bridges in the Point Fortin Highway and the piles for the Point Fortin General Hospital. The company also manufacture other products key to the construction sector. The products meet quality standards approved by the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards (TTBS) and include: • BRC mats and rolls • Composite Floor Decking • Stirrups • C and Z Purlins • Roofing Sheets To complement the steel related manufactured products the company has positioned itself as a major supplier of pipes. angles, channels, flats, concrete and clay blocks, lumber, plywood, concrete board, gypsum related products and relevant accessories. In addition to the above, the above BHSI has always been a household name for suppling home finishes and household items. These items are numerous and include recognized brand tools, doors and accessories, sanitary ware, household mini-appliances, light fixtures, cupboard accessories. “BHAGWANSINGH’S BUILDERS OF THE FUTURE”
customers,” Rostant explains. Small island market dynamics intensify the importance of reputation management, as negative experiences can rapidly impact future business opportunities. “We work on an island. It’s small, everybody knows each other, and we try to give our customers that feeling that we are family to them.” Direct executive accessibility contrasts sharply with larger construction firms where clients typically face multiple management layers to reach decisionmakers. “When they call the company, they call me on a daily basis.The owners are running the company and they feel like they can get that family, an important personal touch every time,” Rostant says. This communication model eliminates bureaucratic delays that often frustrate clients working with corporate construction companies. “Customer service sometimes may be overlooked in the construction industry. But I believe that our projection of trying to really be a step above any customer service in this industry has really proved to be very helpful to us,” Rostant notes.“It shows that our customers keep coming back and keep building with us. We like to be that go-to company for them, easy and stress-free.” 7 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 12, ISSUE 08 ROSSCON LIMITED
DESIGN-BUILD CAPABILITIES Design-build project delivery methods have gained prominence across Caribbean construction markets as clients seek to streamline coordination and reduce management complexity inherent in multivendor approaches. Rosscon’s in-house engineering capabilities utilizing AutoCAD and Tekla software enable single-source accountability from initial concept through final delivery, addressing a key pin point for commercial clients managing complex projects. “We do a lot of design-build work in-house. We have our engineering and drafting teams that can start a project from a basic idea or maybe a little hand sketch,” Rostant explains. Technical advisory services include structural optimization recommendations that can significantly impact project economics.“We wo-;Rclosely with our customers to come up with designs and give them advice on the best, most economical way to do the structures that they may not be familiar with.” Government tender requirements often demand comprehensive engineering teams spanning multiple disciplines, indicating public sector preferences for consolidated contractor responsibility. “The government has design-build tenders that we put together entire teams which would entails full MEP, full architectural, foundation and structural designing from ground up,” Rostant says. These complex procurements require coordination capabilities that smaller fabricators typically cannot provide independently. Complete construction services distinguish Rosscon 8 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 12, ISSUE 08
from steel fabrication specialists who focus exclusively on manufacturing and installation phases. “We are contractors, and we do foundation to-finish work. We’ve done warehouses where we would break ground for the foundations and erect the structure and taking the building to completion including electrical, plumbing, tiling, painting, etc,” Rostant notes. EQUIPMENT UPGRADES AND EFFICIENCY FOCUS Caribbean construction equipment markets face unique challenges, with machinery imports subject to extended lead times and limited local service networks that can impact productivity during critical project phases. Rosscon’s capital investment strategy addresses these constraints through equipment ownership rather than rental dependency, reducing external scheduling conflicts that frequently delay regional construction projects. “Currently we are working a lot on our steel fabrication shop and our equipment as well. We have been traveling to several trade shows and getting ideas to upgrade our shops,” Rostant explains. Trade show research enables direct manufacturer relationships that bypass regional distributors, often resulting in more favorable pricing and service arrangements. “We are currently trying to get some more efficient equipment, and we do have orders for some new cranes and stuff that are going to allow us to rent out certain equipment.” “We’re trying to get in-house equipment so that we could be a little more competitive in bids and we’re trying to be a lot more efficient in our shop,” Rostant says. Competitive bidding advantages come from eliminating rental costs that many competitors must factor into project pricing. Automation investments target productivity improvements without compromising quality standards that established Rosscon’s market reputation. “Our fabrication shop is a lot of focus right now, so we try to focus on the quality of steel coming out of the yard and obviously mixed up with speed,” Rostant notes. “We have the quality coming out with the basic stuff, but we want to get it a little quicker. That’s our main focus right now.” BRAND BUILDING AND MARKET LEADERSHIP Digital marketing adoption rates remain relatively low across Caribbean construction companies, creating opportunities for early adopters to capture market segments beyond traditional relationshipbased referral networks. Social media platforms offer particular advantages in island markets where geographic constraints limit traditional advertising effectiveness, enabling companies to showcase 9 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 12, ISSUE 08 ROSSCON LIMITED
PREFERRED VENDOR/PARTNER n Bhagwansingh’s Hardware and Steel Industries Limited Social Media: Bhagwansingh’s Hardware Bhagwansingh’s Hardware and Steel Industries Limited is a leading manufacturer and supplier of construction materials in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean. With over 60 years of experience, BHSI offers TTBS-approved steel products, hardware, home finishes, and custom fabrication solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial construction projects. n High Performance Coatings Co. www.hpcoatingsltd.com HPC has been in the coating business for over twenty years. Our senior staff are NACE/AMPP trained, combined we have over fifty years’ experience in the coating business. We take pride in supplying good technical support and coatings to all our customers, here in Trinidad, and the region. project portfolios across multiple territories simultaneously. “Recently, we jumped on the social media train. We’ve been kind of dormant in that industry, but my focus is trying to be the first company that people may speak about when they have a project to commence,” Rostant explains. “A lot of our customers are return customers and they know what we can do, but I want to reach out to the realm of people that don’t know us.” Regional economic projections indicate 3.9% growth across Caribbean markets in 2025, driven primarily by tourism infrastructure development that aligns with Rosscon’s commercial construction specialization.“I want to be known and try to be more of a household name in construction on the island. Even up the Caribbean, we have a pretty good name up the islands and it’s about maintaining that,” Rostant says. Quality maintenance during scaling phases presents critical challenges for construction companies expanding beyond their historical operational scope. “The main focus for me is to keep the quality and standard high in work and just to project that name of Rosscon with high quality and good service in the construction industry locally and up the islands.” As Caribbean construction markets continue expanding, Rosscon’s combination of technical expertise, regional presence, and family-business values positions the company to capitalize on growing infrastructure demands while maintaining the personal service approach that distinguishes it from larger competitors. 10 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 12, ISSUE 08
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