Business View Caribbean October/November 2018

98 99 percent of Arawak’s business is generated by the domestic market,with the remaining 80 percent dedicated to the export market.“We export with- in the Caribbean market,” says Castro.“The main export market that we have is Guyana.We have a cement terminal in Guyana, and about 70 percent goes there, but we export to another four coun- tries: St. Lucia, St.Vincent, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Anguilla.” Castro describes Arawak’s customer base as being three-pronged, split between retailers, industrial customers who transform cement into products for the construction industry, and build- ers who purchase the cement to be used at con- struction sites. Regarding competition, Castro explains that it’s difficult for companies to differentiate themselves in the cement business. But nonetheless,Arawak has a strategy for trying to accomplish that goal. “The only way for a big company, a multi-national company like ours, to differentiate itself is through the level of service and the amount of value that we’re able to bring to our customers,”he states. “Mainly,we’re passionate about how our custom- ers make money and then helping them to make more money.How do we do that? We have differ- ent kinds of value offers. “For example,we can offer them a wide range of products,”he continues.“That’s the main thing. Also, there are services and chemical systems when they’re needed.We can also try to help our customers establish business in other countries. For example,we have a very nice builder who’s a customer here in Barbados.We’re helping and Lumisol Technology Consultancy Inc. is a solutions-oriented firm which utilizes technological applications to positively impact ev- eryday business operations. We exist to help your organisation become more profitable through practical technological solutions. Our team focuses on developing an accurate needs analysis of your organisation’s technological requirements and by extension, develop systems which best suit your department’s needs. The result is the development of a framework which merges practical applications with the day-to-day operations of your organisation. PRACTICAL TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS www.lumisoltechnology.com NETWORK DESIGN Network design is more than determing where to place components and how to connect them. PROJECT MANAGEMENT Let us help you reach your organization’s project goals from planning to execution. HELP DESK SUPPORT Queries? Problems? Lumisol Technology’s team of IT professionals are ready and willing to help. BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE AND DATA ANALYTICS Trend analysis through data analysis informs business decisions and improves bottom-line profits. ARAWAK CEMENT COMPANY, LTD. supporting him in order for him to enter the Guyana market.We can also take our custom- ers to foreign countries where we have Cemex operations to see our construction schemes, construction alternatives, and different ways of doing business.The secret is in understanding the needs of our customers and trying to design tailor-made value offers.That is the main thing, I think, that differentiates us from the others.” Castro says that over the last two years, Ce- mex has invested more than $15 million in much-needed upgrades to the plant’s main departments.“We are upgrading very import- ant components of the production process,”he reports.“The last one that we did,which was a very important milestone frommy standpoint, was installing a new‘back filter.’We used to emit a lot of dust and since we are close to the sea, those emissions would go into the sea.They were affecting the landscape and Barbados is a very touristy place. So,we invested $2.5 million in a new“back filter’ and nowwe don’t have any emissions at all.Our neighbors,most of our customers, and people all around are very happy right now. It’s creating a very good impact for our industry thanks to that big investment.” Arawak Cement Company, Ltd. has become a key industry for the island nation that is one of the Caribbean’s tourism hot spots. Cemex has invested YAGO CASTRO GENERAL MANAGER