bbc's 70th anniversary feature

24-PAGE SPECIALFRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014.

Friday/November 14, 2014/WEEKEND NATION EXTRA 2

Message from Richard Cozier – ManagingDirector and CEO –The BHL Group

IT IS with immense pride that I congratulate theBarbados Bottling Co. Limited (BBC) on its 70th anniversary. As a business and morespecifically, as manufacturers, 70 years is indeednoteworthy and deserving of acclaim.

There are several entities, which like us, began in production, but unfortunately, have sincevacated the commercial landscape. Challengesnotwithstanding, BBC has stood the test of time andthis is a tribute to the individuals who put processesin place to ensure that 70 years on, the plant’soperations are still going strong. It is the mandate of our present staff to carry on the mantle.

BBC has a strong position within the BHL Group,which is bolstered by its ability to consistentlyproduce world class beverages in adherence to the strictest quality standards, both at the local and international level.

Innovation has become the hallmark of this entityand the astute business acumen of its leadership andsteadfast support of its staff have cemented BBC’sposition as the leading producer in the sparkling softdrink category.

The accolades are a testament to this and almost

from its inception and up to present day, BBCremains one of the most accredited operations withinCARICOM. Our partnership with Coca-Cola has alsoallowed us to demonstrate our prowess in beverageproduction and placed us in the forefront, as one ofthe top performing systems in our category.

My relationship and affiliation with BBC is dear tome. I had the privilege of leading this entity when itwas first adopted by Banks in 1991 and though off toa rough start, my tenure was memorable and I was able to forge many strong bonds andfriendships, which to this day remain. Even then, theorganisation’s potential for substantial growth wasevident and the future now looks brighter still.

Over the years, BBC has had much to celebrate –the evolution of our packaging from glass to PET, themove from Roebuck Street to Newton which allowedus to physically expand our operations as well as our various product offerings – would nothave been possible without our consumers and foryour unwavering support of our business over theyears – we extend a heartfelt thanks. We lookforward to continuing to bring you the best oursector has to offer.

Sincerest gratitude must also be extended to theBBC Team - congratulations on this achievement andI look forward to our years ahead.

RICHARD COZIER:Managing Director and CEO –The BHL Group

Friday/November 14, 2014/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 3

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Congratulationsto the

Barbados Bottling Company on their 70th Anniversary.

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Message from Muhtar Kent,Chairman and Chief ExecutiveOfficer, The Coca-Cola Company,Atlanta, Georgia.

CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU andeveryone at the Barbados BottlingCompany on your 70th anniversaryof refreshing residents and visitors

to your beautiful island nation.As you know, an ice-cold Coca-Cola

is very special. So, too, are the men andwomen who make Coke and all ourbrands available to refresh and upliftconsumers across every community we serve.

In fact, I would say that, just as the secret formula of Coca-Cola

has been essential to our success over the years, another critical part of our story is the sparkle and fizz ourpeople bring to this business everysingle day.

Thanks and best wishes to all ourcolleagues at the Barbados BottlingCompany on this achievementmarking your 70th anniversary.

Message from Alfredo Rivera, President, Coca-Cola Latin CenterBusiness Unit.

OUR SINCERE CONGRATULATIONSto you and to all associates of theBarbados Bottling Company on its70th anniversary.

We appreciate your dedication andcontribution to the Coca-Cola system forover seven decades, inspiring our consumersto enjoy our beverages every day.

We are very glad to be part of theanniversary celebration in Barbados.

This anniversary marks a milestone in oursystem.

Best wishes to all members of theBarbados Bottling family.

MUHTAR KENTChairman and Chief Executive Officer, TheCoca-Cola Company, Atlanta, Georgia (GP)

ALFREDORIVERA

President, Coca-Cola Latin CenterBusiness Unit (GP)

The Barbados Bottling Company plant a Newton, Christ Church. (RC)

Message from Lorenzo Roach,Beverage Plant Manager (2012-2014)

THE SAYING GOES that “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.”

That defines the strength of an organisation, signifying that its success relies oneach team member doing well and everyone sharing in the success.

Having said this, it has been a distinct privilegeand honour to lead the Barbados BottlingCompany (BBC) team from 2012 to 2014. During this time, I have witnessed a coalition of effort and synergy that is unique.

The BBC team deserves this success and in congratulating my peers on having reached this landmark, I also wish to thank them for theirdedication and commitment to providing Barbadianswith the best in refreshment.

In this trying economy, the beverage industry has been fraught with challenges. This has forced the team at BBC to draw on its resources, go back to the drawing board, so to speak, and,in several instances, emerge stronger than ever to maintain its place as Barbados’ No. 1 beverageproducing plant.

My vision for BBC is that it will remain on thecutting edge and continue to invest in the relevanttechnology that will enable us to employ an evenhigher level of efficiency while continuing to emphasise quality and taste.

A solid investment in people has always been ourprimary focus and has led us to recruit and retainthe best in our industry, with a focus on thespecialised functions.

Our management systems and theimplementation of these is also top priority and wewill continue to spend time ensuring that we pursueworld-class certifications.

This enables us to manage our business withconfidence and allows consumers to be secure in theknowledge that we are governed by, and observe,international benchmarks. This has always been thecase from our humble beginnings and continues to this day. We would have it no other way.

As I move on to a new chapter in my professionalcareer as dairy operations manager of BarbadosDairy Industries Limited, I am assured that BBCis on a firm foundation, rooted in excellence,innovation and quality. BBC’s standards are secondto none and 70 years from now, our hope is that wewill continue to stand as a monument of distinctionand a distinguished symbol of manufacturing pride in Barbados.

To Team BBC, continue to exude the strength,camaraderie and togetherness for which you havebecome known and to all of Barbados, thank you for supporting our efforts for the past 70 years.

Here’s to many more!


LORENZO ROACHBeverage Plant Manager

(2012-2014) (GP)


TWO MEN WERE RESPONSIBLE forestablishing BBC and starting the trail of success that remains today.

Bob King and Noel Hunte were aformidable force and together used theirexpertise to solidify BBC’s place as aleading beverage producer.

King was BBC’s first managingdirector, a title he held for 47 years untilthe company was sold to Banks HoldingsLimited in 1991.

King had the ‘Midas touch’ when it came to business management and wasinvolved in a number of entrepreneurialventures. In addition to starting BBC, he was also managing director of theWest India Biscuit Company for manyyears as well as the Caribbee Hotel. He also owned and operated severalplantations, including Vaucluse.

His colleague Noel Hunte, who wasoriginally involved in the automobilerepair business, was asked to oversee theproduction plant. He was promoted fromplant manager to general manager soonafter the company’s launch and remainedwith BBC for 20 years before venturinginto private consulting, travelling toCoca-Cola plants in Nassau, Bermudaand New Zealand, where he assisted inhelping companies to streamline andimprove their operations. As a result,Hunte became known throughout theregion and beyond as “the man whostarted Coca-Cola in Barbados,” andvarious franchises called on him to assistwith their plants.

Under their leadership, BBC made its first production run in 1945.

BOB KING (GP)

NOEL HUNTE (GP)

Friday/November 14, 2014/WEEKEND NATION EXTRA 6

THE CLOSURE of theUnited States Naval Base inSt Lucia proved a blessingfor Barbados and a turningpoint in the beverageindustry in Barbados.

Unlike its Caribbeancounterparts where UnitedStates armed forces werebased and Coca-Cola wasreadily available, this wasnot the case in Barbados. This presented a primeopportunity for the entry of Coca-Cola into the island.

Close friends JoeDeveaux and Dick Stokes ofStokes and Bynoe, graspedthe opportunity. The twoapproached Bob King withthe possibility of introducingthe Coca-Cola franchise to Barbados and the rest, as they say, is history.

At the time, productionlines generated a mere 32 bottles per minute withseven employees on eachshift.

It took a year before theplant became fullyoperational and King alongwith two office employeesand one delivery personachieved their firstproduction run.

As fate would have it, a representative fromCoca-Cola came toBarbados conductingmarket research. It wasprojected that the companywould sell approximately2500 cases per year and thepartnership with Coca-Colaagreed upon.

Simplicity, efficiency andquality set BarbadosBottling CompanyLimited apart in thoseformative years. This,coupled with a state-of-the-art plant set the tone for the success which wouldsoon be evident.

FROM LEFT : Sales Manager,Trevor Ashby withLance Johnson, Jeff's Restaurant installing a PostMix Machine at Jeff s Restaurant. This was one of theearly installations. (GP)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 1984 - 1985 (Sitting from left) : David McKenzie,Peter Marshall, manager and director; Bob King, chairman and managingdirector; Jack Yearwood, company secretary, Dick Stokes and Martyn King.Inset left Cyril Sisnett and Sir Kenneth Hunte. (GP)


The Barbados Bottling Company Limitedhas benefitted from exemplarymanagement over the years which haspaved the way for various milestones:

1944-1991 Bob King – Founder andManaging Director (with Noel Hunte andRobert Gordon serving in Managementpositions under his leadership prior tothe tenure of Peter Marshall in 1975)1975-1985 – Peter Marshall1985-1991 – Martin King1991-1999 – Richard Cozier1999-2004 – Dan Stoute2004-2012 – William Haslett2012-2014 – Lorenzo Roach

Notable achievements over theyears include:

The acquisition of additional land inRoebuck Street to expand the plant’soperations

Introduction of post mix unitsInstallation of new bottling equipment.

Launch Coke, Sprite and Frutee in a500ml returnable glass bottle

Moving the factory from RoebuckStreet to Newton – BBC was the firstBHL Subsidiary to operate from theNewton property, they were joined laterby B&B (now Banks Distribution) andmore recently Banks Barbados BreweriesLimited

The launch of the 16oz PET package toreplace the 12oz PET

The launch of Diet Red Frutee – thefirst fruity flavoured drink with zerocalories. The product was laterdiscontinued

Winner of “Most Improved BottlerAward” and second place in the Coca-Cola Regional Quality Ranking in 2001.

First place in the Coca-Cola RegionalQuality Ranking and Winner of the Coca-Cola Pemberton Award for Quality in2002, 2003 and 2006

Winner of the BIDC National IndustryAwards Exceptional Quality AchievementAward for 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and2007

The winner of the Coca-ColaSustainability Cup from a field of 16bottlers in 2010.

Best Caribbean Supplier winner in 2012

In 2010 BBC achieved certification tothe following international standards:Quality ISO 9001, Food SafetyFSSC 22000, Environmental ISO140001 and British Standard, BSOHSAS 18001.

Introduction of 355ml Coke, Sprite andFrutee packaging

Successful introduction of lightweighting both in the bottle and closureof BBC’s products

Successful introduction of the new500ml Frutee bottle

Launch of BBC’s Water including BBCWater, Cranberry Flavoured Water andPomegranate Flavoured Water

Successful passing of a Coca-Colasurprise audit that was recentlyconcluded

THE Barbados Bottling CompanyLimited has benefitted fromexemplary management over the yearswhich has paved the way for variousmilestones:

1944-1991 Bob King – Founder andManaging Director (with Noel Hunteand Robert Gordon serving inManagement positions under hisleadership prior to the tenure of PeterMarshall in 1975)1975-1985 – Peter Marshall1985-1991 – Martin King1991-1999 – Richard Cozier1999-2004 – Dan Stoute2004-2012 – William Haslett2012-2014 – Lorenzo Roach

BOB KING Founder

NOEL HUNTEFounder

PETER MARSHALL1975

RICHARD COZIER1991

DAN STOUTE1999

WILLIAM HASLETT2004

LORENZO ROACH2012


EVERYBODY IN BARBADOS knows Frutee.Available in ten different flavours, Frutee is agiant in the Barbados market because of therange of flavours and the excellent marketingthat backs up a powerful product.

That ten-flavour range is currently comprised of Xtreme Red, BananaBlast, Grapefruit Edge, Sorrel Rush,Pineapple Pulse, Ginger Beer, Ginger Ale, Pear Splash, MangoTango, and Cherry Apple.

Going even further, Frutee launched its Clear line of beverages as a low-caloriealternative to the popular soft drink withflavours of Apple, Pomegranate,Strawberry Kiwi, and Tropical Vibes.

Jeremy Foster, Category Manager forSparkling soft drinks at Banks Holdings Limited, said: “The really exciting thing about a brand like Frutee is that we have nolimitations – flavour innovations are always on

our mind and we often times launch two orthree new flavours each year – usually spread among the different packaging sizes.”

Frutee has been a Barbadian staple sinceits creation by the Barbados BottlingCompany. In 2008, Frutee rebrandedthe package and revamped its flavour names.

In 2010, Frutee Clear was launched andtwo years later the product saw yet anotherrebrand. Continuing its innovation, Foster said:“2015 is going to be a big year for Frutee.We have some really exciting things planned, Barbados better get ready.”

BBC has been around for 70 years and has established itself as a top-notchbeverage company that producesinternationally acclaimed brands.

Foster added: “Our brands are certainly on par with international brands in terms ofquality, ingredients, flavours, packaging, andinnovation.” That notion is exemplified by the

awards that BBC has received over the years.In respect to the level of quality for which

BBC is known, here are some of the awardsit has recieved:

• 2001 – Winner of Most ImprovedBottler Award and second place in theCoca-Cola Regional Quality Ranking.

• 2002, 2003, 2006 – Winner of theCoca-Cola Regional Quality Rankingand winner of the Coca-Cola PembertonAward For Quality.

• 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2007 –Wnner of the BIDC National IndustrialAwards Exceptional QualityAchievement Award.

• 2010 – Winner of the Coca-ColaSustainability Cup from a field of 16 bottlers.

• 2012 – Winner of Best CaribbeanSupplier from Trade KO.

Coca-Cola was first manufactured in

Barbados in 1945. The BBC franchisedproduct is of the highest quality, three times(2002 to 2004) being named the best of theCaribbean Coca-Cola plants.

Coca-Cola boasts nearly 400 beverages in its portfolio and has topped the charts forevery country in which it is sold. Up until2013, Coca-Cola had the recurring title ofmost valuable brand in the world until beingunseated by Apple and Google.

Originally founded in 1892, Coca-Cola has penetrated the globe with its high-qualityand innovative products and unparalleledmarketing. BBC has obviously made the name proud by accruing title after title and continuing to produce excellence.

JEREMY FOSTER, category managerfor sparkling soft drinks. (GP)


A FUNCTIONALBEVERAGE, is exactly what it sounds like. A drink with a purpose, designed to a specific goal. Examplesof functional beveragesinclude sports andperformance drinks, energydrinks, ready to drink teas,enhanced fruit drinks, soybeverages and enhancedwater. The market offunctional beverages isn’texclusive to atheletes, but is open to everyone.

Water is a functionalbeverage, its purpose tohydrate and nourish. BBCboasts the distinction ofbeing the first company toproduce locally bottledwater and has continued toinnovate in this realm. Asidefrom the BBC Water, BBClaunched its FlavouredWater line in 2013.

Cranberry flavouredwater was the first inline and has been joined by Pomegranateflavoured water. Bothcontain real juices.

“We try to keep abreastof what’s new in the market.What consumers aretrending towards in terms of flavour profile and superfruits is one them.

“For the PomegranateFlavoured Water, thereweren’t any options outthere and we wanted tomake a mark. Because ofthis consumers have trulytaken to the product whichwe are very happy

to see,” said Shelly Philips,Category Manager at BHL.

Another functionalbeverage coming out of BBC is Powerade,another Coca-Cola product.Powerade is a rehydrationdrink which caters forathletes. As they train hard,Powerade is there toreplace lost electrolytes.

Over the years, the brandhas had a variety of flavourinnovations and vitamininfusions to fulfill its purpose.

Philips asserted that, “It’s a product known forinnovation and good valuefor money. The product

replaces electrolytes lostwhen you sweat.

“Powerade rehydratesyou with four of the mainminerals and vitamins lostduring physical activity.”

Powerade in Barbados,aligns itself with events thatpromote fitness including the Powerade RunBarbados series, ICBLwalk/run, BSSAC, and StepIt Up series.

As time progresses, it isexpected that the functionalbeverage line coming out of BBC will continue toimprove and impress as it has consistently done.

SHELLEY PHILLIPS (GP)


QUALITY IS EVIDENT in everyaspect of the Barbados BottlingCompany Limited’s (BBC’s)operation.

That is part of the reason theplane has consistently maintined itsquadruple ISO Certification status.Paula Rose, manager of the Researchand Development Department ofBHL, works closely with BBC in thepursuit of creative improvement.

“We look at innovation in termsof new products, and we also lookat how we can improve our existingproducts. We always try to improveon what we are currently doing.Recently, we launched our flavouredbeverage line and our purified waterline,” said Rose.

Many people don’t know exactlywhat goes into the creation of newproducts. For a company like BBC,that process involves a lot ofconsumer communication and thentesting to create something that isdesired and adheres to all relevant standards.

“We follow a commercialisationprocess flow. We work closely with marketing and sales and the whole team comes together for the research.

“The Commercial Departmentguides us with their surveys and dataacquirement. Commercial gives us aconcept brief, which tells us exactlywhat they would like developed. That becomes our guideline forresearch and innovation that startsthe ball rolling.

“Then we go into the lab and do work, talking with suppliers anddoing a lot of testing. Then comesthe production trials of products.There are a lot of steps because we need to make sure that theproduct that we put on the market is of the highest quality.

“We have to make sure that wemeet all of the international and ourown internal standards. We workhand in hand with the QualityDepartment.”

As a company that provides

beverages, there are many standardsthat must be strictly followed.

BBC holds certification in four international standards:

1. ISO 9001:2008-QualityManagement Systems

A compilation of qualitymanagement principles whichprovides the framework for ensuring customer satisfaction and quality assurance.

2. ISO 14001-EnvironmentManagement Systems

Environmental managementprinciples which offer guidelines onthe implementation, managementand advancement of anenvironmental programme whichenables the company to reducenegative impacts to the environmentand meet local regulatoryrequirements.

3. FSSC 22000-Food SafetyManagement Systems

Food safety managementprinciples which ensure that theestablishment provides the public

with products that are safe forconsumption.

4. OHSAS 18001-Occupational Health & SafetyManagement Systems

Occupational health and safetymanagement principles that enablethe company to eliminate or controloccupational health and safety risksby means of implementing soundoccupational health and safetypractices. It also provides thecompany with the ability to meet itslegislative obligations.

Ruthlyn Small, quality assurancemanager at BBC, said: “Adoptinghigh quality standards can be viewedas a strategy employed by thecompany which enables us to meetand/or exceed our consumers’expectations. It allows for consistentquality through measurement,analysis, and continuousimprovement.”

Small continued: “The entire valuechain must be considered in theachievement and maintenance

of high-quality standards. “Management commitment

is of paramount importance, theinvestment of highly capable processequipment, well trained employees,good document managementsystems, and a robust correctiveaction programme, are just some of the ways in which the qualitystandards are maintained within the company.”

Being certified by an internationalbody such as the InternationalOrganization for Standardization(ISO) gives the public a high level of confidence when consumingproducts. Secondly, it opens up hugeopportunities for the penetration ofthe local brand into global markets.

Small added: “We here at BBCunderstand the importance ofconsistently providing our customersand consumers with beverages of the highest quality. We definequality as a culture, it’s embodied in everything that we do. It’s the way we do business.”

PAULA ROSE, manager of theResearch and DevelopmentDepartment, BHL. (GP)

RUTHLYN SMALL, QualityAssurance Manager at BBC. (FP)


ST. JOHN'S AMBULANCE sampling Coca-Cola. (GP)

SUPERMAN PROMOTINGCoca-Cola. (GP)COCA-COLA IN THE cane fields promotion. (GP)

[email protected]

THE BARBADOSBOTTLING COMPANYLIMITED (BBC) operates a 24-hour per day, five days per week production facility in which the fully automatedmanufacturing plant is run bythree shifts to supply marketneeds.

Over the decades thecompany has refined itsproduction methods,modernising its plant, adoptingprocess improvements, andsecuring accreditation forattaining internationallybenchmarked productionstandards.

Today, the 70-year-oldcompany’s production teamruns a well-oiled machine,moving product from start tofinish in a process that’s energyefficient, environmentallyfriendly and safety conscious.

The journey that bottle of Frutee in your refrigeratormakes to get to you begins in a climate-controlled room at the BBC’s Newton, ChristChurch, manufacturing plant. It starts when the machine is activated to send littlepreforms (bottles yet to be shaped) to the blowmoulding machine.

Step 1: Bottlemanufacture

Bottles used in the BBC’smanufacturing process aresupplied in two preformedsizes, and are selectedaccording to the capacityrequired during the productionrun. For example, bottles usedin the manufacture of the 355and 500 ml drinks are madeusing the same preforms. Forthe two-litre drinks a largersize of perform is required.

During the bottlemanufacturing process thepreforms are heated andstretched in a process calledblow moulding, and textured inmoulds according to productrequirements in precisioncomputer-controlled machines.Each unit (bottle) manufacturedduring this process is subject tosuch scrutiny that the highlysensitive machines dispatch anypreform or finished bottlepresenting the slightestabnormality to the rejection bin.

As would be expected,routine quality control checksare performed during theprocess. Random bottles aretaken, examined, and tested to ensure their quality andconsistency.

The machines are equippedwith monitors that tracktemperature and otherindicators which need to bekept within prescribed rangesto minimise spoilage and

ensure that the highest qualityproducts roll off the line.

Because of the speed ofoperating system, to ensure asmooth production flow theteam will start the process by

blowing a number of bottlesbeforehand.

Process support specialistRicardo Gilkes explained it thisway: “Because we have a high-speed machine – the filler

runs at about 400 bottles aminute and the blow moulderoutputs 350 [bottles perminute], so we blow somebottles maybe two hoursbefore, just enough to give abuffer, and we run both directlyto the machine and from thesilo. So the line always has a supply of 400 bottles perminute coming out. So whenwe produce, we produceexactly what we need and then we close off. We don’tleave any waste or anythinglying around.”

With the blowing processset to ensure smooth flow theteam sets the rest of thewheels rolling as follows:

Step 2: Syrupmanufacturing

First, the team makes simplesyrup and then final syrup. Thefinal syrup is then mixed withtreated water (water treated

using nano filtration to purify it,then it is sterilized by exposureto ultraviolet light).

Step 3: Blending During the blending process

the syrup and treated water as well as carbon dioxide are blended together to make the final beverage.

Step 4: Filling Bottles proceeding along

the production line enter and exit the filler at a rate

of 400 per minute. Inside thefilling machine, containers arerinsed, filled with the beverage,capped and are stamped with a date code.

Step 5: LabellingOnce out of the filler

bottles enter the labellerwhere brand signage is affixedon them, after which they aresent for packaging.

Step 6: PackagingPackaging involves three

processes:i. Hiconing formation:Bottles are first grouped intosix-packs during a processcalled hiconing. ii. Case construction:The six-packs then are groupedto form 24 packs and shrinkwrapped to create cases.iii. Palletising: During thispart of the process the casesare packed onto pallets innumbers of 48.

Pallets are then moved byforklift to the warehouse and

Friday/November 14, 2014/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 12&13

1. THEY START theprocess and preforms(above) aretransformed into bottles.

2. MOULDS SUCH asthese at left are used tocreate the signaturepatterns on the bottles.

3. Finished bottles on theway to filling.

(Pictures by Rawle Culbard)

MELICIA SOBERS of the Quality AssuranceDepartment, adjusting settings.

THE PRODUCTIONPROCESS at the BarbadosBottling Company isfacilitated by two processsupport specialists whoseroles support the productionmanager, quality manager, asset care manager, andwarehouse manager.

Process support specialistRicardo Gilkes can be said tofocus on the manufacturingside, having oversight for the areas of blow moulding,blending, filling the bottles,and packaging.

Among many otherfunctions, Gilkes monitors thesystem to ensure everything isgoing the way it should, andsupports the shift leader ifthere is an issue.

The other process supportspecialist Rhonda Wardfocuses on the byproducts of the process – waste – andis responsible for the BBC’sone-of-a-kind wastewatertreatment plant.

4. ONCE at the fillingmachine bottles arerinsed, and filledbottles.

5. FILLED, CAPPED,date coded and enroute to be labelled.

Championsof theprocess

OVER TO the warehouse.PALLETISED and ready for shipment.CASES of Frutee Ginger Ale being shrink wrapped. CASES STACKED and awaiting palletisation.

1

2

3

4

5 6 7 8 9

PROCESS SUPPORT SPECIALIST RICARDO GILKES attending to a block in the flow to the shrink wrapping machine.

w w w . b c a c r i c k e t . o r gt h e o ffi c e @ b c a . o r g . b b w w w . b c a c r i c k e t . o r g


FROM LEFT: Jeremy Whittaker, Janelle Belgrave, Shannie Harrison, Ruthlyn Small, Melicia Sobers, Liam Pounder and Shakira Grannum. (RC)

FROM LEFT: Corey Yearwood, Duane Cambell,Peter Belgrave, Vertis Sealy, Don Riley, Shane Ifilland Brian Morris. (RC)

FROM LEFT: Peter Bell, Kevin Holder and Isaiah White. (RC)

Warrens, St. Michael. Tel: 417-7777 www.simpson-motors.com

Congratulations to

Anniversary

The Barbados BottlingCompany Limited

on their

MARY BRYAN ,AdministrationDepartment.


THE Barbados Bottling Company(BBC), in league with the rest of theBHL Group to make greener movementsand progress to community contribution,has adopted another of therequirements that Coca-Colainternational stipulates – a wastewatertreatment plant.

The goal of this pursuit is to returnto the environment – at a level thatsupports aquatic life – the equivalent ofthe amount of water used in the systemoperations through comprehensivewastewater treatment.

The Coca-Cola website indicates:“We are maturing our governance and technical support programmes forwastewater toward a performance-basedmodel that focuses on further optimisingefficiency and improving the quality ofwater we discharge to the environment.

“Some areas of the world arestressed with conflict and other nationalchallenges that are currently preventingour local operations from investing inthe needed resources to meet this goal.While a very limited number, we areworking with these facilities to supportthem and to help ensure they are alignedin the future as conditions allow.”

As a licensed and award-winningCoca-Cola facility, BBC has made grand efforts to fall in line withprocedures that strive to improve theenvironment. Rather than discarding allwastewater from the washdowns ofequipment it is treated it with the use of microbes. The microbes break downthe constituents to carbon dioxide and useable water.

The facilities at BBC in Newton,Christ Church, take the run-off waterfrom their operations and it goesthrough a dual system of treatment.First, the wastewater is treatedmechanically and then biologically.

The first step removes suspendedsolids of up to 60 per cent, then thewater is further filtered with the use of microbes to attain a purity suitablefor aquatic life.

The facility at BBC maintains anaquarium to monitor the quality of thetreated water which is tested rigorously.At the end of the process, the water isalmost of a drinkable quality. It onlyneeds a final purification stage. The wateris good enough for washing and dripirrigation, though irrigation is the onlyuse legally allowed in Barbados forwastewater.

“We would like to be able to use thewater for more purposes than we havebeen given permission to use it for. Weare permitted by EPD to use it forirrigation. Though we are workingtoward being able to use the water forother purposes such as washing trucksand pallets,” said Rhonda Ward, one oftwo process support specialist at BBC.

BBC recycles 80 per cent of itswaste, an admirable and unique qualityamong large operations.

In the future, it is hoped that theGovernment will allow for companieswith the magnanimous goals of BBCto use the treated wastewater for more functional purposes to helpimprove the environment andcommunity contribution.

THE AQUARIUM (above)at BBC which is used tomonitor the quality of thetreated water. At right,Rhonda Ward, one ofBBC’s support specialists.(RC)


PETER MARSHALL has many fond memories of theBarbados Bottling Company Limited (BBC). The retiree’s contribution is etched on the pages of themanufacturing plant’s history as he deftly managed theplant from 1975 to 1985, and assisted in cementing thelegacy of the organisation that proudly stands today.

Marshall describes the turning point in the plant’shistory, as the expansion of its Roebuck Street location.

This was the foresight of the late Sir Kenneth Hunte– a Board Director at the time and one who Marshalldescribes as “an extremely forward thinkinggentleman”. A.R.E. Bob King was also instrumental inthis business decision which saw the company acquiringthe land on which the current Insurance Corporationof Barbados now stands.

Marshall vividly recalls that there were several initial

reservations surrounding the purchasebut the move proved supremelysuccessful and eased the congestion oftheir previous location, easilyaccommodating 21 trucks and additionalwarehouse space.

While the plant physically made themove to greener pastures, whatremained was the staff ’s unwaveringcommitment and dedication to its customers. This was heightened at Christmastime and Marshall fondlyremembered having to place restrictionson the enthusiastic sales team whowould stop at nothing to service theircustomers and close those all-important sales.

“We had one employee whose routewas in the north of the island and hewould think nothing of returning to theplant at 10 p.m. to reload and go backout to customers. On the whole, thesalesmen were that passionate. We hadto put certain restrictions in place or they would just keep working wellinto the night.”

Marshall himself also lived thatpassion and of the numerous stories

which abound in his memory of personalsacrifice, one in particular always comesto the fore, painting a true picture of those early days.

“We had just installed what arereferred to as post-mix units for fountaindrinks in what is now Harbour Lightsand the owner called me at 11:30 p.m. to say that he wasexperiencing a problem with them. I went down to Roebuck Street myselfand with the help of security personnelloaded up a truck with drinks and tookthem down to him. You just did what youhad to do.”

Marshall’s tenure not only saw an unmatched level of tenacity, but a levelof innovation that was unparalleled inthe industry. A partnership with PlasticContainers gave way to the introductionof the PET bottle. More than justpackaging, the PET bottle meant that thesales team would now have a lighterpackage to transport and storageburdens of bottles would be a thing of the past. Barbadians respondedfavourably to the introduction.

Next came the introduction of the

post-mix units and this particularinnovation helped to cement BBC as a market leader in the beverage industry.

“The beverage industry was changingand we embraced the changes. When I introduced post-mix, the competitiondownplayed it. We were the first to introduce post-mix on the island andfrom there schools and otherestablishments requested them and theyjust took off.”

The saying goes that the true test of leadership is how one manageschallenges and Marshall’s management ofBBC certainly had its fair share. As withany business, a strategic and sensiblepricing mechanism can signal success or spark failure and the former managerfurther said that BBC was forced to increase its prices, which prompted a personal call from the late PrimeMinister of Barbados, the Right ExcellentJ. M. G. M. Tom Adams himself.

As the story goes, Prime MinisterAdams had not long before delivered a budget speech which would see

PETER MARSHALL IN 1985 (GP)

• Continued on next page.


[email protected]

an increase in consumption tax by three centsfor every beverage. Management took that asthe signal to increase their prices, whichwarranted the now infamous phone call to dono such thing. Prime Minister Adams fearedthat the average Barbadian would be unable toafford a soft drink which by now had becomea staple, especially at lunch time.

Needless to say, the prices of the beveragesremained in spite of the consumption taxwhich resulted in a loss of three cents perbottle for the company. But BBC bouncedback and the price would stabilise in the yearsahead.

Pricing mechanisms were important butequally or even more important was customerengagement and BBC’s strategy for this wasclear. They would engage in sampling andstrategic promotions and sponsorships whichwould help keep the brands top of mind. Therewas the entertaining and majestic Coca-ColaCarnival, the Coca-Cola Steel Bandthat would accompany trucks brimming withice-cold Coca-Cola to hardworking fieldworkers and the partnership with FIFA to

promote football.“We were a part of all of the main events

and even had the foresight to sponsor CropOver in its infancy. Sponsorship was key inreaching a wide cross section of people. In thebusiness of beverage production, it isimportant to be in touch with people at alllevels. You have to know everyone from theGovernor General to the janitor. Thatconnection with people is important, especiallyin a small country such as ours.”

This led to many accolades frominternational and global brand Coca-Colaespecially in the areas of quality assurance.

As successful as the plant was, it never lostits connection to its team of staff. Theorganisation maintained weekly meetings andwas one of the few companies which had aformal Christmas party at that time.

“Our staff always knew what was going on.We also had committed team in sales whoalso tried to keep their colleagues involvedand informed. Trevor Ashby, who was salesmanager at the time was also well informedand well connected. We were a force to bereckoned with.”

COCA-COLA Steel Band. (GP)

[email protected]


UPON HEARING HIS STORY, the average personwould describe Sisnett Boyce as a “jack of all trades”.He prefers to simply be called dedicated.

Now retired, the former customer servicemanager spent his entire professional career in the soft drinks industry, beginning in 1962 as amere boy of 16 and finally retiring as customerservice manager, some 48 years later.

Fresh out of school, Boyce’s first encounter withthe beverage manufacturer would see him being hired as a casual worker. This meant that the role wastemporary and he was assigned to performing oddjobs about the plant.

At first the job represented independence and the financial freedom which all 16 year olds crave.However, as time progressed Boyce had become fondof the plant on Roebuck Street and began to see it as more than just a Christmas job. Fortunately, apermanent position would follow the following yearand he officially became a part of the staffcomplement working in the Warehouse Department.

Never one to settle, he quickly moved up theranks and would be promoted to assistant stockmanager soon after. Then, the position of assistantsales manager was advertised internally and sights seteven higher, he would apply and be awarded the post.After the sale to Banks Holdings Limited (BHL) in1991 he would be promoted yet again but this timeto customer service manager – a post he describedas challenging but one which he loved best.

The early days at BBC were cited as some of the best and Boyce recalled a close-knit staff.

“BBC was a good company. It was a joy to work there and there was a pride in working with an international brand such as Coca-Cola.

“Football was very popular in Barbados and thestaff who worked in production were very activeplayers and in an effort to play a few matches in theevenings and still be paid, they would fill in for eachother. One guy would go and play the match and theother would hold on so that the one playing wouldstill get his overtime pay.”

This camaraderie would be tested with the sale to BHL in 1991. Assistant sales manager at the time, Boyce remembered the period well.

“Everybody was unsure. Rumours were rampantabout who would be going home, so to speak. I began to weigh my options and kept an open mind about it.”

His future was not only secure in the company as assistant sales manager but he was presented with

THE EARLY DAYS of the bottling plant at Newton, Christ Church. (GP)

• Continued on next page.

SISNETT BOYCE,retired former

customer servicemanager of

Barbados BottlingCompany Limited.

(GP)


• From Page 18.

another professional opportunity as the group grew.

“DaCosta and Musson were thedistributors for the company’s products butthen chairman and CEO, Mr Allan Fields,now Sir Allan Fields, had hopes for theGroup’s own distribution arm. Two yearsafter BBC moved to Newton, B&BDistribution was established with theimplementation of computer technology.

“All of the trucks from BBC as well as the trucks from DaCosta and Musson thatwere stationed in Wildey had to be movedto the site that was identified in Newton.

“The company was to be fullycomputerised but that didn’t work out andboth B&B and DaCosta and Musson wereforced to resort to the former way of usingbilling books that day. That day the truckswent out late. I was chosen to head whatwould be the customer service arm of this new distribution entity.”

It was in customer service that he trulyfound his niche and was charged with settingup the entire department. When the initialWildey location proved too distant to

address customers’ needs, it was he who also recommended that they move to Newton.

“When the Customer ServiceDepartment was in Wildey, I found that itwas at times difficult to manage customerissues from that distance. So to be in syncwith B&B, I recommended to Mr. Fields thatwe move to Newton and that was where wereally started to resolve customers’ issues.”

Boyce’s approach to customer servicewas simple: deal with each issue separately and distinctly.

“Every customer’s problem is different. If customers came to me with an issue, my approach was to always listen and allowthem to talk. I also always ensured that I visited them regularly. There was not a rum shop that I had not been in to visit my customers.”

At BBC’s 70th anniversary juncture,Boyce still sees BBC’s customers as loyal and true to the brand.

“I wish BBC everything that is good. The company has world-class products and I see no reason why it cannot remain theNo. 1 bottling company in Barbados and by extension, the Caribbean.”


[email protected]

THE Barbados BottlingCompany Limited (BBC)continues to prove that it is one of the region’s est manufacturing plants.

As is sometimes done,auditors from Coca-Cola last week performed anunannounced audit on thecompany and were again impressed with BBC’soperations.

“Auditors Darla Burge andClaudia Landazabal wereimpressed with our facility andwith the incoming materialsreception for our packaging andhighlighted these asachievements which they wouldtake back to their Atlantaoffices.

“Additionally they indicatedno findings against ourcorrective actions program andpointed out that this was veryunusual in the Coca-Colasystem,” said Tricia Bartlett, IMS coordinator, BBC.

The audit took place over a period of fourand a half days from November 7 underintense scrutiny and during that time BBC

again demonstrated compliance with theCoca-Cola operating requirements in theareas of Quality, Safety and EnvironmentalManagement Systems.

TRICIA BARTLETT, INTEGRATED MANAGEMENTSYSTEMS COORDINATOR, BBC.


“Working to Build a Stronger Nation”visit our website at www.williamsind.com

We thank the Barbados Bottling Company for keeping us all

refreshed with their beverages for the past 70 years.

LLEWELLYN BULLEN currently works as a logisticscoordinator in the BHL Supply Chain Department that has a strong hand in the operations of the Barbados BottlingCompany. Earlier this year, Bullen was honoured withnomination at the BHL CEO Awards for his dedication,ethic, and many years of service to the company.

“I have been with BBC over 40 years. My 40th anniversarywas last year at the BHL Group. Prior to that, I worked with BBC as a BBC employee for 38 years. But at BHL, I am still physically at BBC and still doing work forBBC as well as other BHL entities, but I am primarily withBBC,” said Bullen.

“Over those years, changes have been gradual. When youlook back and you see where you were and where you comefrom, it just seems like yesterday morning. I started as a bottlesorter. In those days, BBC produced its products in glass.Those were the days of the seven-and ten-ounce bottles, thenwe moved to 12 ounce. “I was in bottle sorting for two yearsbefore they moved me into the warehouse doing generalwork. While there, I became a forklift driver and then I became a supervisor sometime in the ’80s. After the move to Newton, I took on a role as senior supervisor. So I used to deal with both warehouse matters and logistics matters.Then I became wholly and soley a logistics coordinator,”Bullen recalled.

Bullen says he prefers this role because “Every day isdifferent and there are new challenges. It involves shipping,whether imports or exports. It involves dealing with accounts, invoices, the suppliers. It involves getting the product, the cargo, out of the port in a timely manner. It’s very varied.”

“It has been great. We came from an environment inRoebuck Street where we would have outgrown the location.In fact, when Banks took over the BBC operation, we wereusing a 12 ounce Coca-Cola and Sprite, as well as BBCin terms of the Frutee products. Soon after their arrival, theywent into the half-litre bottle and with that our salesskyrocketed. What we were doing back then was producingthe drinks at Roebuck Street and sending them to thislocation in Newton to be stored. In the early days, it was a logistics nightmare but we got it done,” said Bullen.

From long-time managers to new recruits, Bullen can onlybeam about the excellence that everyone brings to thecompany. He admitted: “I love what I’m doing. I’m not a limelight person, I don’t seek it or glamour in it. I work witha very wonderful team, both workwise and we even socialise.There are some really amazing people in this team. I work in a wonderful department. It funtions and works wellfor all the BHL companies.”

In thinking about the future, Bullen said: “For me personally,I would like to see the BHL products in all of the Caribbeancountries. In terms of BBC, I would like to see BBC continueto move from strength to strength. It is a very good companyto work for. It gives you a lot of opportunities and I’m glad to be here.”

THE FORMER ROEBUCK STREET plant. (GP)

LLEWELLYN BULLEN


[email protected]

WENDELL BROWN loveshis job and enjoys thepeople he works with. So it should come as nosurprise that he has spentthe last 34 years of hisworking life as an employeeof the BarbadosBottling CompanyLimited (BBC).

A machining andfabrication specialist in theAsset Care Department,Brown manages thecompany’s workshop andworks with the mechanicsand technicians to ensure the machines run as required on a day-to-day basis.

If there’s a breakdowndue to a broken shaft, for example, Brown is mobilised to repair theshaft so it can be reinstalledto get the machine goinguntil a replacement is sourced.

In some cases wheresuch repairs are performed,he said: “They are only

geared to offer a temporarysolution, as the modernmachinery used in the plantrequires precision partswhich are ordered and/orkept in stock as spares in the event of a failure.”

During the early yearsthe situation was quitedifferent, Brown said. Theolder machines were

WENDELL BROWN (GP)

primarily manual andpresented fewer challengeswhen it came to fabricatingreplacement solutions.

A creative person,Brown said what he enjoyed most about hisjob was “fixing things andmaking things”.

“If I am given a projectand it’s something that I start from scratch, forinstance if I have to make a part, I get a regular pieceof steel and I put it intothe lathe, [and] machine it to what it should be . . .to the various sizes and so on . . . ,” he said.

“To see the finishedproduct come out andwork the way it shouldwork . . . that is whatmakes me feel real good,”said the veteran machinistwho started his career at the Barbados Foundry,before joining the BBC asa maintenance mechanic.Brown was elevated to hiscurrent post six years ago.


BEING THE LONE femaleforklift operator at the Barbados BottlingCompany (BBC) might causeDanielle Worrell to stand out inthe crowd, but what’s evenmore compelling about herstory is the journey to the point at which she standstoday.

Worrell joined the BanksHoldings Limited family as anoperations assistant in May2011, and at the time wasstationed at Pine Hill Dairy.Ensuing years, however, wouldsee her moving within the group, serving onsecondment between Pine Hill and BBCas operations assistant.

One day in 2013 an opportunitypresented itself that Worrell could notoverlook. A vacancy was advertised at BBCfor an inventory clerk and she went for it.

“I saw many opportunities within BBCto advance oneself and to broaden my scopeof skills,” she said. “I wanted to join theWarehouse Department, and the vacancywas for an inventory clerk and part of therole of a clerk was to drive the forklift.”

Success in her bid, however, presented its own challenges. Worrell had neither a licence nor driving experience but refusedto let the apparent hiccup stand in her way.She said within the BBC, the environmentwas such that employees were generallyencouraged to learn and gather new skills. So she got a permit and was allowed to practise on the forklift.

Worrell was full of praise for hercolleagues, saying the guys in the departmentwere very helpful in showing her the ropes.

In the four months after her first drivinglesson Worrell made significant progress. She started off with moving raw materials

and worked her way towards the ultimategoal, developing expert proficiency in workingwith finished goods.

The ride was pretty smooth, Worrell said,adding at no time was she forced to performany task she was uncomfortable with. Rather,she was coached by her supervisors andother workmates.

Now with a year of experience under herbelt, Worrell does “most of the things theguys do, except going on the container rampand taking things out of the container”. Thatis the last challenge to overcome, she said,and she’s chosen to pace herself for itbecause it involves heights – a concept shereadily admits she finds daunting. With theunfailing support and tutoring fromcolleagues, however, she will prevail.

A very positive person, Worrell relishesthe dynamic environment in the WarehouseDepartment. “That is what keeps me interested in the job,” she said, “becausecurve balls come your way, you’re throwninto new environments. That’s what I likeabout BBC and the WarehouseDepartment.”

DANIELLE WORRELL (GP)

SPRITE SPONSORED big shot weekend.

CHILDRENenjoyingBanana Frutee.

COCA-COLA Christmas promotion.

SPRITE STREETBALL TEAM.

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