— boasts premium rates of pay, conducive environment for work

INSPIRED by the right conditions for investment and expansion, local logistics and transportation management firm, Express International Inc. will be looking to widen its operations with the employment of over 200 Guyanese by the end of this year. Express International Inc., which was established locally in 2013, provides logistical support for its parent company, Express Trucking and Courier Inc, a US-based corporation with four other subsidiaries.
The local subsidiary located at lot 27 Hadfield Street, already employs over 200 persons, majority of whom are Guyanese.
Chief Investment Officer and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, has said that Guyana, with a growing economy and an environment that is conducive for commerce, is becoming a hub for investments, as is evidenced by Express International’s expansion here.
“Express International Inc. has positioned Guyana as an entry market in outsourced logistics management and with many jobs going offshore from the U.S, Guyana is set to capture and expand in this market.

“I am pleased that the company has taken the position to expand its operation in the Guyana Market. The creation of over 200 higher paying jobs indicates that Guyana truly is open for Investments,” Dr. Ramsaroop said in an invited comment on Tuesday.
The firm aims to work along with the Government of Guyana to add over 200 jobs before the end of 2021. This move forms part of its goal of diversifying its offerings to the local and international population through opportunities in ground transportation and air freight, in the global supply chain.
In the space of eight years, the company has moved from strength to strength, exhibiting traits that are worth emulating by both local and foreign businesses.
According to information shared with the Guyana Chronicle, Owner and President of Express International Inc., Guyana-born Ken Deocharran, who had moved to the U.S., always dreamt of returning to his country of birth and contributing significantly to local development.
After doing his research and examining the market at that time, Deocharran took the bold step of establishing the operations at Patentia, West Bank Demerara (WBD), starting with just one employee, who was serving as a dispatcher for a fleet of over 15 semi-tractor trailer units operating in the U.S. for major air freight and dedicated lane clients such as Amazon, DHL Global Forwarding, FedEx Trade Networks, UPS, and others.

Growth                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       From one dispatcher, the company grew with the addition of more dispatchers who provided 24/7 support to the fleet. All driver communication on pick-up and drop-off details, route recommendations, delays with deliveries, and administrative matters were handled by the local team. Gradually, other groups were added to support the drivers, such as track and trace agents, driver and fleet managers, and an all-inclusive safety team supporting with weather, video, and log monitoring.

The team of over 200 persons now manages their entire fleet from Guyana, with only the drivers and a handful of employees based in the U.S., to satisfy the regulatory standards in that nation. During the period of transitioning to Guyana, and to date, the level of customer satisfaction continues to improve with countless unsolicited testimonies from clients.
“Thanks to the great reputation of the parent brand which passed 99 per cent of its growth to the Guyana office, Express quickly outgrew its operational space causing the local business to move twice until securing its current location in Hadfield St. Georgetown,” the company said.

EXCEPTIONAL ‘ORGANIC’ GROWTH
The firm continues to see exceptional ‘organic’ growth fuelled by the high level of customer and client experience, allowing it to grow by over 100 per cent despite the pervasive novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As was the case across the world, when COVID-19 hit, companies were cautioned to implement protective strategies and business continuity plans.
Express’ first approach was to protect its staff. And, the company, through prudent management, has been able to retain all of its employees and even add to their headcount.
“Safety was and continues to be a critical part of their success with more than 50 per cent of their employees working from home until the company feels it is safe again for a full return to the office,” Express International said.

Deocharran, in a brief statement, said the efficiency and quality registered by the company during and outside of the pandemic, has surpassed that of the subsidiary in the U.S.
The local firm is known for paying premium rates and an environment conducive for transparent employee feedback and one that aids in the improvement of its work environment.
Dr. Ramsaroop said the company has demonstrated that it can bring more specialised vertical application and that Guyanese possess the capabilities of performing at international levels.
“The Guyana Office for Investment is excited to partner with Express International as it continues to expand its operations in Guyana and to fulfill our President’s [Dr. Irfaan Ali] mandate for the creation of jobs.

“Specific to this area of investment, the company is working with investors to expand the technology sector through innovation by facilitating outsourcing projects in Guyana. Express International Inc. is one such project,” he said.
This project is one in a slew of projects which are scheduled for this year. It was reported in December 2020 that Go-Invest was able to facilitate 55 potential investments valuing $276.6 billion within three months, paving the way for the creation of more than 10,000 jobs in 2021 and beyond.
The Guyana Chronicle understands that of the 55 projects to which Go-Invest referred, 28 are local, 25 are Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs), and there are two joint ventures.