'Mustapha Chrome' steelpans return to Trinidad and Tobago

FOUR years after being devastated by a fire, "Mustapha Chrome," officially called Chrome Furnishers Ltd, was relaunched on January 8.

A Ministry of Trade and Industry celebrated the company's return. It said in a release that the reopening would allow pan manufacturers to "readily satisfy the growing demand for quality chromed steelpans locally and abroad at a lower cost and for shorter production times than having it done overseas."

The company's El Socorro business place was burnt down in January 2021.

"With a combination of perseverance, commitment, as well as support from the Government, this business has literally risen from the ashes to once again serve the community and the people of Trinidad and Tobago," Minister of Trade and Industry Paula Gopee-Scoon said at the ribbon-cutting.

She noted that over the past four years, many pan manufacturers have had to ship their pans overseas to be chromed. Now, with the relaunch of the facility, she said manufacturers will be able to “capture additional value-added activities along the steelpan value chain.”

Chroming is a process known to improve the aesthetics of the steelpan and enhance the sound and durability of the instrument.

Deputy chairman of the steering committee Prof Clément Imbert said he was delighted to see the company’s return.

Speaking on behalf of the Mohammed family, Chrome Furnishers Ltd director Nadia Mohammed made special mention of steelpan tuners, saying: “Without you creating these hand-crafted instruments, we would not have a single instrument to chrome, no one would have a pan to play, no arrangers, steelbands, and the melodious steelpan music would not exist.”

The Government supported the business through the ministry's Steelpan Manufacturing Grant Fund Facility, which covered new specialised equipment allowing Chrome Furnishers Ltd, a third-generation, family-owned company, to resume operations on January 6.

The release said the grant is among the ministry’s initiatives to provide tools necessary for expansion, including upgrading machinery, acquiring new technologies and investing in training. It said all of these are aimed at enhancing the standards, innovation, and marketing of locally manufactured products, such as the steelpan.

The release said data from the Central Statistical Office indicates the steelpan industry is marked for significant growth, with exports rising to $3.1 million in 2023 from $1.9 million in the preceding three years.

Gopee-Scoon said not only is this demand expected to increase further after the declaration of World Steelpan Day in 2023, but so too will the expectations for top-notch quality. This, she said, can only be provided in the instrument's birthplace.

"Therefore the Government of TT remains committed to providing an enabling environment for the growth of the steelpan manufacturing sector, as a means of generating foreign exchange, creating meaningful employment and diversifying the economy.”

She also said her ministry had established the National Steelpan Steering Committee to develop a national governance framework for the pan industry.

"Following strategic research and stakeholder consultations, the committee has proposed a number of initiatives to boost the appeal and demand of national instrument that involve, among other areas, manufacturing, archiving, education, recording, marketing, entertainment, standards, and research and development, to be implemented by various ministries.

"These programmes ensure that the steelpan grows to represent more than just our culture, but is transformed into a home-grown creation that generates with it employment and a vibrant economy.”

She said the government also intends to start a pan-tuner apprenticeship programme focused on developing requisite skills and services in the industry.