Coosal, Roach receive TTMA's Lifetime Achievement award

Businessmen Sieunarine Coosal and Langston Roach have been honoured by the TT Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA) with Lifetime Achievement awards for championing the cause of manufacturing.

They were described as having changed the landscape for manufacturing in TT and demonstrating noteworthy corporate social responsibility.

As founder, executive chairman and director of Langston Roach Industries Ltd, Roach started the company in 1985 in San Juan.

It is now the largest manufacturer of household cleaners and personal care products in TT.

Giving his acceptance speech at the TTMA President’s Dinner and Awards at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain, on Tuesday evening, Roach said he was overwhelmed at being selected to receive the award from “the best and most prominent business association in TT.”

He said he started his business in a garage, mixing his products in a drum with a piece of PVC, and he had seen the industry evolve with technology.

He said he did not understand the technology being used in his company, but he hired people who did, and so accepted the award on behalf of his managers and staff.

He said he had experienced challenges and doubts, but thanked God, his family, and his customers for supporting him over the years.

He quoted Henry Ford as saying: "Quality means doing the right thing when no one is looking."

"That's what he says. These words have resonated with me over the years, and they are the driving force for how we operate our company. We do the right thing when no one is looking. And this has led to our growth and our success.”

TTMA’s Lifetime Achievement Award was not the first honour that CEO of the Coosal's Group of Companies Sieunarine Persad Coosal received this year.

He also received an honorary doctorate of law from UWI and was awarded the Chaconia Medal (gold) in September for his philanthropy, especially his many years of collaborating with Habitat for Humanity and the Salvation Army.

Coosal was grateful and optimistic to receive the award.

“It is with a range of emotions, on the one hand, immensely grateful for recognition of my years of service in both the construction and the manufacturing industries, and equally elated to receive this award as it highlights the importance of manufacturing to the construction sector.”

He said construction and manufacturing had a symbiotic relationship which would continue to thrive and that the manufacturing sector played a critical role in the growth and development of TT.

He thanked the TTMA, saying its resilience and strength continually gave its members opportunities to grow.

TT Bureau of Standards (TTBS) also presented its 2023 TT National Quality Awards to ANSA McAl Chemicals Ltd, Amalgamated Security Services Ltd, Blue Waters Products Ltd and Kennicon Engineering Ltd at the event.

Winners of the TTMA President's Awards:

Manufacturer of the Year 2022: Small – Christle Ltd; Caribbean Roasters Ltd; Medium – SCL (Trinidad) Ltd; Large – Angostura Ltd

Most Successful Market Entrant 2022: Small – The Pouch Company; Medium: Novo Farms Company Ltd; Large – The West Indian Tobacco Company Ltd

Innovator of the Year 2022 – VEMCO

Excellence in Leadership 2022 – CGA Ltd

Trade Mission Champion 2022 – Christle Ltd

Supplier of Services 2022 – Trinidad Cement Ltd

Green Manufacturer of the Year 2022 – Nestle TT Ltd

Lifetime Achievement Award 2023 – Langston Roach; Sieunarine Coosal

Winners of the TTBS TT National Quality Awards:

ANSA McAl Chemicals Ltd – national quality (manufacturing category); leadership; environmental requirements; and co-winners of the business results, process approach and evidence-based decisions subcategories.

Amalgamated Security Services Ltd – national quality (services category); customer focus; and safety requirements.

Blue Waters Products Ltd – human resource focus; co-winner of the business results and process approach subcategories.

Kennicon Engineering Ltd – improvement; co-winner of the evidence-based approach subcategory.