nv consolidated industries

Endeavour Magazine talks to Wouter Van Meegdenburg, Managing Director of NV Consolidated Industries Corporation, about the domination of its industry and what the future holds for the organisation.

WRITTEN BY AMY TOCKNELL

CLEANING THE CARIBBEAN

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NV CONSOLIDATED INDUSTRIES

WWW.CICSUR.COM 00597 482050

So what can we take from these values? That CIC is a progressive company that seeks to stay at the forefront of the household cleaning products manufacturing industry

and recognises that in order to do so, customer satisfaction and wider social responsibility are key.

Since the creation of the company in 1967, CIC has enjoyed unprecedented success, as well as continual growth. In just 4 short years, the annual turnover of the organisation was revealed to be the equivalent of 550,000 USD, an incredible feat for a company that started life with a small product line. With such enormous growth in a small space of time, what does the company attribute this early success to?

“Company performance during the seventies was characterised by diversification, quality improvement and gradual enlargement of domestic market-shares. Diversification of the product range, which we were keen to begin in the second year of operation, saw us moving into the production of liquid detergents and toothpaste.”

Clearly not an organisation that is content to enjoy moderate success when market domination is a possibility, CIC continued to diversify with plastic packaging production and extended their export network.

Based in the capital of Suriname, Paramaribo, the company remains well placed to take advantage of established export channels and now supplies the whole of the Caribbean with domestic cleaning products. Having established itself as the chief producer of a large number of cleaning products, within Suriname, CIC set its sights further afield and credits the development of its ‘Ozon’ line of


Looking at the history of NV Consolidated Industries Corporation (CIC), it is clear it is an organisation that is clearly thriving in it’s chosen field and yet has not neglected the core values that have been in place since its inception in 1967. Even more impressive is the client focus of the guiding principles that state:“Your success is our desire”“Trust in our relationships and personally responsible for all our actions”“Creating a better company for a better world”

products in the 1990s as the catalyst for export success on a large scale and future plans;

“The introduction of our OZON quality line of products was successful and we now export to major Caricom destinations such as Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, Dominica and Antigua.

With our Ozon powder laundry detergent, we now have an estimated market share of 20% in competitive markets such as Trinidad and Barbados, while the volume growth of our liquid detergents is also promising.

With our infiltration of Caricom being so successful, we are now preparing for challenges further ahead such as free trade in all the America’s (FTAA).”

It would be easy to assume that CIC has had little in the way of difficulties to tackle and that the rise to market domination has been seamless, but a fire in 2009 destroyed a sizable portion of the production facilities. This proved to be nothing more than a small stumbling block however and in true CIC style, the unfortunate event was viewed as an opportunity to modernise and improve facilities. Just 1 year later, a new production site was completed and fully operational, making us ask the question, can nothing stop this company from moving forward and continuing to grow?


Bolstered by a strong management structure and committed employees, the staff team is 120-strong. We asked Wouter Van Meegdenburg what the company’s policies are regarding internal staff development;

“Developing talent from within our ranks is very important to us. We operate in a very competitive market and we have to keep up to date with developments if we want to see our growth ambitions come to fruition. We are an ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified company and all of our staff have a part to play in the maintenance of quality management systems. We have to develop staff and keep their skills and knowledge as current and relevant as possible.

We also recognise that internal promotions of staff who have demonstrated good performance can be very inspiring and motivational for other colleagues. With this in mind, we offer our staff on the job training as well as vocational training and for key management positions MBA programs, so they have every opportunity to be the best they can be.”

With such an inclusive staff development policy, it stands to reason that this progressive organisation would be a strong believer in Corporate Social Responsibility and they do not disappoint;

“We have a Code of Conduct and a Corporate Governance Code. Our code of conduct is a guideline for our conduct towards each other, our customers, suppliers and other stakeholders. This

professional courtesy is extremely important to us, but we also focus on the impact we have externally, both environmentally and socially. Our ISO 140001 environmental management system helps us reduce our environmental impact by reducing waste and energy use. As a member of the VSH United Group we contribute a percentage of our profit to the VSH Community Fund from which social programs are sponsored.”

Though responsible operation is being employed by an ever-increasing number of companies, it is this ‘extra mile’ that continues to set organisations apart. By opting to enjoy success, but not at the detriment of the surrounding locality or the staff it employs, CIC has secured itself the position of industry leader and can feel secure that as it continues to grow, it will have a steadfast bank of customers, supporters and employees. With this in mind, we asked Wouter what the future holds for CIC;

“Continued growth in Surinam and the Caribbean with our OZON and SUN brands. Construction of a new warehouse is also occurring alongside the development of improved product formulas and new packaging.”

Clearly CIC is only going to continue its upward ascent and really, what else could we expect from a company that produces domestic cleaning products, than a bright and sparkling future?


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“A Good Name to Stick With”“A Good Name to Stick With”

67 LABELSADHOO TRACE, EL SOCORRO, TRINIDAD, W.I.

TEL.: 1-868-675-8581/3603/2235, 1-868-674-9049 FAX: 1-868-674-0073Email: [email protected] Website: www.hylinett.com

30 Years

In Industry

• On Budget, On ScheduleEVERY TIME

• Digital Full Colour Printing• Flexible Production Schedules



FREEESTIMATES!!!




30 Years

In Industry





FREEESTIMATES!!!




30 Years

In Industry





FREEESTIMATES!!!




30 Years

In Industry





FREEESTIMATES!!!




30 Years

In Industry





FREEESTIMATES!!!



TEL.: 1-868-675-8581/3603/2235, 1-868-674-9049 FAX: 1-868-674-0073

Email: [email protected] Website: www.hylinett.com

30 Years

In Industry


• Digital Full Colour Printing

• Flexible Production Schedules


• Digital Full Colour Printing

• Flexible Production Schedules

nv consolidated industries

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