Sydney Thwaites, president of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA), says the organisation is resolute in “building a robust manufacturing community” in Jamaica.

He was speaking at the JMEA Manufacture 360° Conference held at AC Hotel Kingston earlier today (May 8).

Held under the theme ‘Shaping the Future of Jamaican Manufacturing from All Angles’, the event highlighted issues such as the importance of boosting skills development in manufacturing, manufacturing policies and regulations that create an inclusive environment, innovation and technology adoption, environmental sustainability, e-commerce, special economic zones, among other topics.

Addressing these issues with a holistic, forward-thinking approach, Thwaites pointed out, “can unlock the full potential of the manufacturing sector and pave the way for a more robust, prosperous and inclusive sustainable future for our manufacturers.”

While noting that new challenges have emerged, he pointed also that innovative solutions are now more readily available and access to support and resources are within reach.

“The primary goal we have envisioned for the Manufacture 360° Conference is to create an experience that fosters knowledge exchange and capacity building, empowers local manufacturers to refine their expertise and adopt best practices derived from their regional counterparts.”

— Sydney Thwaites, president of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

In the same breath, he discouraged companies from working in “silos” and recommended instead that they learn from and collaborate with each other.

“If we are to grow stronger as a manufacturing country and community then we must create a supportive and inclusive space,” Thwaites reasoned.

According to JMEA, up to November last year, the manufacturing sector accounted for gross value-added output of J$71,414 million compared with J$67,411 million for 2019 in its 12-month entirety. Domestic exports from manufacturing for January to November 2023 valued J$794.4 million.

Employment in manufacturing has also grown, moving from 78,775 to over 84,000 last year.

Looking ahead, Thwaites noted that with the insights gained from the conference, JMEA members can “think beyond our shores and leverage Jamaica’s unique heritage and brand identity” to create competitive advantage in the global marketplace”.