E.H. Charles & Co. Ltd. – Serving Dominica

Business View Caribbean profiles E H Charles & Co Ltd, a general building contractor and supplier of hardware, housing components and building materials.

E.H. Charles & Sons, a building contractor, was established in Dominica, in 1967, by Egbert Henderson Charles. It was incorporated as a limited liability company – E.H. Charles & Co. Ltd. – in 1978. In 1979, in response to the devastation to Dominica caused by Hurricane David, Charles extended his company’s operations into the rebuilding of houses and the re-assembling and sale of housing components, such as doors and windows, with materials imported from abroad. In 1981, the company further diversified into the sale of hardware and building materials.

As a builder, the multi-award winning E.H. Charles & Co. Ltd. constructed many industrial, commercial, and residential buildings across the island, including the Dominica Social Security Corporation, the National Bank of Dominica, the Castle Bruce Government School, the Princess Margaret Hospital Medical Laboratory, industrial estates, apartment buildings, and the million-dollar homes of prominent Dominicans.

Since 2002, E.H. Charles & Co. has been the local agent for True Value Hardware, known for providing high-quality hardware and supplies in more than 58 countries. At present, the company’s retail supply outlet carries over 8,000 items including the following:

• Building supplies – bricks, BRC welded wire mesh, roof sheeting, cement, steel products, lumber, and chain link fencing
• Chemicals – acrylic, dry-lock, hydraulic cement, liquid stucco, roofing putty, water seal, wood preservatives, and adhesives
• Decorative products – paints, tile and grout, glass and glass block, windows and doors, strips and moldings, drawer handles, and countertops
• General hardware – ladders, screws, nails and bolts, hammers, hand saws, hinges and door closers, ropes, and hoses
• Home and Garden – rugs and carpets, garden pots, shower curtains, and dinnerware
• Lighting and Electrical – power tools, ceiling fans, electrical fitting and accessories, wire, lamps, and bulbs
• Plumbing – water heaters, taps and faucets, sinks, toilets, pipes, and fittings
• Construction Tools and Equipment – buckets, helmets and gloves, trowels, wheelbarrows, and concrete vibrators

The company is also an agent for the Makita Corporation. Based in Japan, Makita manufactures consumer and professional power tools. Its products are known for their quality, reliability, and performance. E.H. Charles & Co. is also the sole, local agent for Berger Paints, one of the world’s most renowned brands of paints and coatings. The company’s services also include glass and mirror cutting, and rip and cross-cutting of wood.

E.H. Charles & Co. has five locations – the headquarters and retail hardware business are located in Roseau, Dominica. Warehouses and storage depots are at Picard and River Estates. Charles says that he is considering an expansion of the business, but because Dominica is a relatively small island, he wants to be very careful about how he goes about developing the company, further. “The island has a small population and limited resources,” he says. “We can’t afford to expand beyond the ability that the country can offer.”

Meanwhile, E.H. Charles & Co. Ltd. will continue to ably and conscientiously serve its customers, and the Dominican public, as it has done for almost half a century. “We give quality service to our clients,” Charles declares. “We give them a good product; we find the best product for their uses and we give them good delivery for their projects.”

AT A GLANCE

WHO: E.H. Charles & Co. Ltd.

WHAT: A general building contractor and supplier of hardware, housing components and building materials

WHERE: Roseau, Dominica

WEBSITE: www.ehcharlescoltd.com

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