Their initial exploration of building materials included considering a styrofoam-based insulated concrete form. However, fate intervened when they discovered Jamaica was banning styrofoam products. “A $60,000 mistake is a lot less than a $2 million mistake,” Merrill notes with relief, viewing the nearmiss as providential. Both Merrill and Johnson recognized that there was a greater plan for their vision. “In January of 2020 we found the E-Z Block product on a mountain top in Utah, and we are forever grateful to the inventor, Aaron Eames and his family for providing us the opportunity to purchase a license to manufacture the product”, stated the duo in unison. This decision proved fortuitous, as their current product avoids environmental pitfalls.The company’s willingness to adapt their approach based on local conditions has become a hallmark of their business philosophy. THE TECHNOLOGY ADVANTAGE E-Z Block’s revolutionary building system delivers four key benefits perfectly suited to Jamaica’s unique environmental challenges. The company’s motto— ”cooler, quieter, faster, stronger”—encapsulates the practical advantages that have made their insulated concrete forms a compelling alternative to traditional construction methods. “The key things for Jamaica are cooler, quieter, and stronger,” explains Merrill. “It’s climate resilience to hurricanes and earthquakes. It’s environmental resistance to mold and termites. It seemed like the perfect match for Jamaica as far as the product.” These benefits directly address the island’s tropical climate and vulnerability to natural disasters. What sets E-Z Block apart from other insulated concrete forms is its composition. Unlike many ICF products that use styrofoam, E-Z Block was developed using an alternative formula. “A lot of people have heard of ICF, which is an insulating concrete form, and they’re familiar with that in styrofoam,” Merrill notes. Their decision to pursue a non-styrofoam solution has proven advantageous both environmentally and practically. 68 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 12, ISSUE 03 ON)
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