Trade Minister visits family manufacturing business

TRADE and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon on Friday visited the manufacturing and warehousing facilities of Joseph J Sabeeney Ltd where she saw firsthand what goes into the making of the company’s range of products.

Accompanying the minister was a team from the ministry who met with the directors of the family-run business, led by Anne Sabeeney and her children Alan and Sarah. The business has been in existence since 1988 and over time has consolidated to distribute and manufacture a number of household and cleaning supplies.

During her visit, Minister Gopee-Scoon was introduced to the range of products, which include toilet bowl deodorisers, naphthalene balls (known as moth balls), camphor blocks, reusable and disposable cleaning cloths, sponges and scouring pads and mops.

A large portion of the company’s sales are local, however, 10 per cent of total sales are exported regionally to countries such as Barbados, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Guyana and Grenada, a release from the ministry said.

Gopee-Scoon said she was very pleased with the company’s success, and in particular with efforts to invest in new, safe and more user friendly packaging and products.

Commending Alan Sabeeney on the organisation’s progress and development over the years, she said, "This is a perfect example of a multi-generational SME family business that continues to pivot, evolve and grow. These are the types of firms and entrepreneurs that we must target to transform Trinidad and Tobago”.

The company currently has a moderate operation of 13 employees. Going forward, they are focused on maximising their capacity by expanding into existing and entering new regional and extra-regional markets.

Gopee-Scoon urged them to collaborate and use the services provided by exporTT Ltd and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.