Durrant Pate/Contributor

Thermoplastics manufacturer Omni Industries Limited has reported its strongest quarterly performance since its June 2024 junior market listing on the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE), in spite of rising input costs, shipping delays and continued global uncertainty. 

During the September quarter, the company saw net profit rising to J$58 million, up 54 per cent year-over-year, while earnings per share rose to $0.023, At the same time, Omni Industries recorded increased revenues of $587 million, up 37 per cent over the $428 million reported last year. For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, revenues reached $1.58 billion, up 4% from $1.51 billion in 2024.

Year-to-date gross profit totalled J$650 million, a nine per cent decline from 2024, due to the absence of a one-off export order completed last year. Commenting on the positive performance, Omni’s managing director, Patrick Kumst, explained that the positive results stem from a focus on operational refinement and deliberate investment in production capacity, even as global conditions remained challenging.

“Our performance this quarter is not by chance. It really came down to reinvesting, tightening up how we manage costs, and staying focused on what the market needs, both here and regionally,” Kumst declared.

Construction gains

Omni’s construction-related product line remains its largest revenue contributor, accounting for 58 per cent of total sales. Demand from the building sector, which continues to perform well amid moderate growth in the broader economy, helped offset some of the external shocks from volatile foreign exchange movements and increased import costs. The company has also strengthened its operations with the commissioning of new injection-moulding machines, expanding production throughput and improving product precision.

Kumst reports that these upgrades are already translating into higher efficiency and stronger output consistency across its manufacturing divisions. Company gains are also complemented by better financial management and efficiencies. Gross profit rose 12 per cent year-over-year to J$244 million, supported by process optimisation and product diversification. 

Omni also achieved a 33 per cent increase in ‘property, plant, and equipment’ to J$587 million, a result of its commitment to modernisation and capacity expansion. There was a rise in operating expenses due to haulage and depreciation linked to new machinery. Still, Omni Industries managed to improve its current ratio to 2.55:1. 

Finance costs for the quarter were contained at J$9.3 million, down four per cent compared to the prior year. At the same time, trade payables declined by 19 per cent, signalling enhanced supplier relationships and prudent cash management. While the third quarter unfolded before the height of this year’s hurricane season, Omni’s strategy during that period has proven proactive. 

Omni took what it described as “pre-emptive steps” to maintain product availability as global trade disruptions and a new wave of tariff measures created uncertainty for manufacturers worldwide. This included temporarily sourcing materials from non-traditional suppliers, an approach that raised input costs but ensured uninterrupted production and customer service.

“Continuity matters as much as profitability,” the Omni managing director shared, adding, “We made strategic choices to keep our production lines running and our customers supplied, even if that meant tighter margins in the short term. The priority for us was protecting long-term relationships and national supply chains. And when hurricane Melissa came later in Q4, that preparation paid off.”  

Omni’s management believes the foundation laid through these strategic moves will enable the company to capitalise on export opportunities as global conditions stabilise.