NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A new manufacturing and mineral processing company is preparing to launch its operations in Freeport as it aims to ‘revolutionize’ local manufacturing.
The Bahamas Mineral & Manufacturing Corporation Ltd (BMMC Ltd) which was founded in May 2020 by Mitchell K.A Thurston and Astra Armbrister-Rolle plans to initiate its manufacturing operations with PVC pipe extrusion lines as its key product.
Thurston, the company’s president and chief executive said: “We aim to revolutionize Bahamian manufacturing and produce and supply superior quality products while operating globally and always in The Bahamas’ best interest. The idea of BMMC came to me as we entered the initial lockdown period of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“Upon listening to the cries of many Bahamians daily about what we need to do to grow our economy, and the fact that we import most of what we use, I thought that I could be a part of that difference and manufacture products locally, specifically construction grade products because of the constant demand and resiliency of the construction industry.”
During a press conference yesterday, Thurston said that he and co-founder Armbrister-Rolle, the company’s chief operations officer had shortlisted a range of products and came to understand that PVC Pipe was the best product to begin producing as every inch of pipe used in this country is imported.
“While we both were aware that this would have been a mammoth task, we saw it as an opportunity for us to revolutionize an industry that is basically dormant in our country, and we fully committed ourselves to our company and the potential that we knew that it had,” he said.
“Since then, we have developed and improved upon our business model by collectively dedicating thousands of hours of work, making personal sacrifices which include leaving our previous careers behind and turning down job offers, and of course, investing thousands of dollars,” said Thurston.
According to Thurston, the company’s Freeport headquarters- the BMMC Park facility will sit on a five-acre lot that will include a twelve thousand square foot structure.
“This structure, in particular, will serve as our main factory building and will house our key equipment, which is our PVC pipe extrusion lines. We are currently finalizing the order of these lines and expect their arrival within the next six months. As we embark on this journey, we look forward to creating strategic partnerships and synergies to facilitate our growth, development, and continuous success as a company,” said Thurston.
He added: “We believe that we are sitting on a tremendous opportunity to allow Bahamians to benefit from the millions of dollars that leave our shores annually as a consequence of us importing one hundred percent of the PVC pipe that we utilize and further, the millions of dollars associated with the other construction grade products that we intend to produce in the future.”
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