Willem's Timbers, Toolsie Persaud make international links

Willem's Timbers, Toolsie Persaud make international links

…$$M in investment likely
Kaieteur News, 7 October 2007
“We made international links that could yield millions of investment
into our economy,” said some of the exhibitors at GuyExpo, including
Toolsie Persaud Limited and newcomers Willems Timbers.

Having been in existence for some seven decades, Willems Timber and
Trading Company, once a logging and sawmilling operation located in the
Essequibo River, has provided a service to Guyana but “of recent its
operation has been down and out”, says Planning Manager, Ravi Persaud.

He said that as part of efforts to create awareness, his company took a
decision to take its first shot at GuyExpo and as he puts it, “We have
no regrets. Things are about to take a turn for the better,
internationally as well as on the local front.”

“This is our first year and the response has been (overwhelming) for
our products.”

Persaud said that from all accounts the general idea was that the
company had closed it operations.

“The visitors surpassed our expectations…We got numerous enquiries and
calls.” He said that so impressed were some of the visitors to the
booth that orders are pouring in. “It's like Christmas has come
early…we got orders that possibly will carry us through to the next
GuyExpo,” the elated Planning Manager related to Kaieteur News.

He added that “the overseas interest is most impressive.”

“We've got investors coming from China , Malaysia , Europe, the US , St
Lucia, Jamaica and The Bahamas. They took samples and contacts, and we
will be meeting with some between this week and next week.”

He was in high praise for the organisers and said that his company will
definitely be at GuyExpo 2008.

He added “I think they need bigger space…that apart, everything went
well in planning and arranging.”

Toolsie Persaud makes Holland connections

Toolsie Persaud is a supplier of stone on the local and international
shores with countless success stories. Now, the company is in the
process of recording even more success following a meeting with an
investor at GuyExpo, which saw a deal involving hundreds of millions of
dollars being discussed.

According to Sharma Kishun, Sales and Marketing Manager of Toolsie
Persaud Manufacturing and Production Company, “I spoke to one person
who wants close to one million tonnes of boulders for special sea
defence work in Holland . In addition, I spoke to another guy from
Antigua for an order of 28,000 tonnes of aggregates for that country.”

The company supplies quarry products nationwide, deals in lumber, and
manufactures pipes. He said, “Our displays were well taken. Many people
came from overseas, saw our displays, and many wanted quotations.”

He added that GuyExpo has done a lot to improve the company's
production sales, and sales prospects not only locally but on the
international market. “We have expressed interest from Antigua ,
Grenada , and Trinidad and Tobago .”

Meanwhile, after launching its service in Guyana on August 22 last,
newcomer to GuyExpo, Bill Direct, headed by Country Manager Marlon
Wade, said that GuyExpo is a definite step in the right direction for
Guyanese small businesses.

Wade said that his electronic bill-paying service, with parent company
in Barbados , was able to disseminate information about its service in
a broader net.

He said that many thousands were impressed and have said that they will
be using his service to take advantage of hassle-free bill payment
services to customers, “especially those on the go.”

He continued, “GuyExpo could not have come at a better time for our
company.”