TEN years after being rescued from almost total obscurity the Arawak Cement Company has emerged to capture one of the most prestigious awards in the annals of local manufacturing.

In what was a crowning moment of glory for stakeholders of the St. Lucy-based company, Arawak copped the top Pillar of Industry award in the annual Industrial Awards Ceremony of the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC). Earlier, Arawak won the Exporter of the Year in the Manufacturing category. BIDC awards are given in recognition of excellence.

A beaming Trevor Ifill, acting general manager of the company accepted both presentations at the BIDC‘s function held at the Barbados Museum and Historical Society on Saturday night. The two awards come in the wake of an exceptionally good 2003 when the company produced 303 000 tonnes of clinker and 330 000 tonnes of cement. Of the latter amount, 200 000 tonnes were exported. That amount was estimated at about $3.7 million.

It is the second time in recent years Arawak won "Exporter of the Year Award" in the Manufacturing category." Last year the company was presented with the Barbados Industry Seal of Excellence 2003. Arawak was previously owned by the Government of Barbados before being sold to Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) in the early 1990s. Since then TCL undertook a massive reorganization of the plant turning the company into a viable operation that presently employs over 300 Barbadians.

Ifill said that the awards are very significant for the company, especially in these times of global market changes. "We have been able to increase our exports in these trying times of globalization and trade liberalization and these awards are an achievement for the organization," Ifill said. "As you know we are part of the TCL and achievements like these are part of a team effort with sister companies in Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica," Ifill told Business Monday. "It is also a reflection of the commitment of the workforce and management at Arawak, to respond to the challenge of establishing Barbadian industry in the forefront of Caribbean business," he further stated.

Ifill, who is the marketing manager, described Arawak as an all-round company. "We see people as very important, and their personal development is very important to us," he stated.

"I am sure that these awards will be a source of motivation for our staff, as such recognition always is and we will continue to ride on these good things and we will continue to be an effective company in Barbados," he said.