Business View Caribbean l Feb 2023

75 76 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 10, ISSUE 2 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 10, ISSUE 2 Caribbean, can only work when we have the factory up and running on the island.” The factory was supposed to have commenced operations in 2020, but the COVID pandemic delayed the plans. The company is now in the process of resuming those plans, although it continues to import materials occasionally to keep servicing its clients. Another factor helping the company grow and expand is tax rebates on imported materials. The company pays no import fees on the materials it brings in, enabling it to operate competitively in the country’s housing market. This includes all the building materials it imports from Home Depot in Florida, although it also works with local companies like hardware stores to source items that would not be cost-effective to ship from the US. “Another of our valued suppliers is Cementos Argos, a cement company based in Colombia where we source all our cement,” adds Hurst. “We also use Benjamin Moore paints because they tend to withstand the harsh UV in this part of the world better than other brands, which helps keep the houses looking bright for quite some time.” While the company leverages these business connections, it still has to grapple with the supply chain disruptions occasioned by the COVID pandemic. For example, the equipment needed to start an EPS manufacturing plant has been stuck in Kenya for some time and will only find its way to Antigua and Barbuda in the coming months. Hurst also notes that economies of scale are limited for smaller developments like Bau Homes, so the company must find workarounds to remain competitive. On the personal front, Bau Homes is recruiting and training workers on its method BAU HOMES of building, which is new to the island. “We are a new business using new technology, so we must train everybody we hire,” Hurst explains. “Our whole brand depends on how well we train them, so training is critical to maintaining our brand.” As the company positions itself for future growth, Hurst has a unique take on his inspiration for building Bau Homes. “I don’t see myself as a real estate person,” he says. “I am a scientist who loves his island and had the good favors of God to live and work in the UK for 30 years. “Towards the end of my working life, I wanted to come back and do something meaningful, and that is what Bau Homes affords me.” “It also allows me to work with a polymeric material, which is a huge plus for the scientist in me,” he concludes. PREFERRED VENDOR/PARTNER n Argos www.antilles.argos.co Argos is a growing multinational company consolidating its presence in 16 countries and territories. It has been building history for more than 80 years and today is the #1 cement and ready-mix concrete producer in Colombia and one of the most important in the Caribbean, Central America and United States.