– produce white sugar, other value-added products soon

AS PART of the move to transition the embattled GuySuCo and the sugar industry out of the red, the Albion Estate is looking to step up its game to ensure profitability and continued employment for their 3400 plus employees.

They plan doing so by looking to add at least four value-added products to their strategic plan for the period 2018-2021.

This was disclosed on Tuesday evening at a community meeting at the Albion Sports Complex by Corporate Communications Manager Audreyanna Thomas ahead of the 2nd crop for 2018.

“As part of our business plan for 2018-2020/2021, significant investment will be made to increase the productivity of Albion Estate,” Thomas said, adding:
“Investments in re-capitalising the estate will include conversion of the cultivation to accommodate mechanised operations as well as improvements to the factory to produce plantation white sugar as one of our four value-added products.”

Thomas said that a co-generation plant to supply power to the national grid, as well as the setting up of a packaging facility are among the other areas that the estate will be seeking to diversify into so as to increase revenues while lowering the cost of production.

“The new approach for the ‘New GuySuCo’ will focus on creating more value from its assets and resources, and delivering more value to its customers and the communities which we serve,” Thomas said, adding that the production of the Plantation White Sugar is expected to start soon, while the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) is expected to pay GuySuCo for the maintenance of drainage and irrigation facilities in communities where the closed estates were, as well as the three remaining estates.

For Albion, that means essentially servicing the entire East Berbice and Corentyne areas, Thomas said, adding that the co-generation and packaging plants are both expected to come on board fully soon.

She said that while management is in the process of finalising the business end of things, the new Model will focus on a “Triple Bottom Line” which seeks to incorporate all aspects such as economic, environmental and social in moving forward for the benefit for all.

She, however, cautioned that while GuySuCo is a $20B industry annually and contributes significantly to the surrounding communities, the need for collaboration with residents, business community and the various regional administrations cannot be underscored enough, and pledges to strengthen the various relationships for the betterment of all.

She, further, plugged the need for increased yield and production by the estate and appealed to the community to assist in getting the workers to turn up for work consistently.

In wrapping up, Thomas reminded her audience of the various social programmes the industry has put in place for personal growth and development under the ‘Sustainable and Resilient Communities Programme and Alternative Livelihood Initiative’, and urged them to take full advantage of them, as well as visiting the estate and enquiring about the
various contractual opportunities that may be available.

Albion is one of three estates that are still operational after the Coalition government was forced to close several others due to significant losses despite ploughing over G$38B into the sugar industry since taking office a mere three years ago.

With diversification and forward-thinking approaches, it is envisaged that the industry will return to profitability in the near future.