first area that we did was UTECH E-Z Block certified installers,” Johnson notes.This institutional validation provided crucial legitimacy to their system. The certification program has become a key driver of business growth. “For 2024, I would say 50% of the business we did came as a direct result or consequence of the course,” Johnson reveals. This educational initiative has created a network of trained professionals who understand and advocate for the E-Z Block system. COMMUNITY-CENTERED MANUFACTURING The E-Z Block operation in Jamaica embodies a philosophy of community investment and local empowerment. From the beginning, the founders prioritized hiring and training Jamaican workers, viewing their business as a vehicle for creating sustainable careers. “We used local talent in Tucker and Granville at the factory,” Merrill explains, referring to their initial manufacturing site. This approach aligns with their broader vision of establishing roots within Jamaica’s economy rather than simply extracting value from it. As demand grows, the company has ambitious expansion plans that maintain this community-first approach. “We’ll be expanding the Tucker facility, probably increasing capacity by 50 to 75%,” Johnson says.“We are also opening another facility in Spring Village, St. Catherine, which will be an outdoor factory that is not confined by walls, which will be triple the size of where we are now,” he explains.“We will start production in that facility in June.” This new location represents deeper community integration.“We’re community focused and we want to build through the community, make people better, helping to improve their quality of life both inside and outside their homes,” Johnson emphasizes. “We are partnering with the Spring Village Development Foundation, which also has a training facility. They teach welding and stuff like that. So, we’re going to E-Z Block being loaded 71 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 12, ISSUE 03 E-Z BLOCK (MANUFACTURING) & EVOLUTION ICF GROUP LIMITED (CONSTRUCTI
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