Susan Smith, Staff Reporter
GORDON
JAMAICA'S POWERHOUSE in technical and scientific services, Technological Solutions Limited (TSL) has been successfully helping businesses expand their market share and access new markets.
Established in July 1996, TSL uses technology to implement systems which improve the competitiveness, profitability, safety and quality of products and services within a number of sectors.
TSL was started with about $6 million in capital and eighteen staff members, explained Dr. André Gordon.
The business is located at the Technology Innovation Centre at the University of Technology Jamaica and is spearheaded by founder and managing director, Dr. Gordon, a trained scientist.
TECHNICAL WORLD
Dr. Gordon said TSL emerged out of the need for Jamaican companies to interpret and negotiate the technical world of trade barriers.
"It was evident at the time that for Jamaica and the Caribbean to compete in the areas of manufacturing, distribution, or exports, they would need the application of science and technology to create new products, approaches, solutions and technology," he shared with Wednesday Business.
"TSL was to be the answer to that need," he continued, adding that the company is also involved in building human resource capacity. With the CARICOM Single Market and Economy at hand, the service is even more relevant today.
WORLD-CLASS SERVICE
What is unique about TSL is its use of technology to boost trade. Firms benefit from the plethora of services offered by the TSL team.
Among the services provided by TSL are:
Staff training at all levels.
New product development systems.
Quality implementation on food safety.
Good manufacturing and agricultural practices.
Plant layout.
Improvement in logistics supply chain management.
Expert witness services and audits on standards for its customers.
It also helps companies solve problems, and provides water and environmental testing services.
Some 72 customers of TSL have benefited significantly, from the service. "Customers are able to access world-class technical and scientific support," said Dr. Gordon. "We led the process to get Jamaican ackees back into the U.S. market and were pivotal in getting conch and other seafood back into the European Union, " he pointed out.
Some of TSL's customers are GraceKennedy Limited, Caribbean Development Bank and JAMPRO.
Dr. Gordon described TSL to Wednesday Business as a one-stop shop mix of services. "No one else offers this mix," he said. Only government-operated labs services and regional or international consulting firms may create some aspects of competition for the organisation.
"It is our projection that this business can grow over the next five years to exceed US$2 million (J$124 million)," said Dr. Gordon speaking of the revenue potential of the business.
CHALLENGES
Although the service area of the business has grown, Dr. Gordon says there are challenges in business. He pointed out that, many companies are unwilling to implement the systems they require until several disappointments or additional costs from not having the systems in place, hit them.
SHORT-TERM GOALS
As one of his short term goals, the savvy entrepreneur is hoping to expand the services into the areas of the region where TSL is not yet present.
