Engine of Diversification: T&T Manufacturing Fuels a New Era of Growth
October 2nd, 2026 | Related To: Private: Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA)
By Natalie Dookie
Over the past two decades, Trinidad and Tobago’s manufacturing sector has evolved from a supporting role to a driving force in exports, employment, and innovation. Previously overshadowed by the energy industry, manufacturing now stands at the forefront of export earnings and value-added production. Emil Ramkissoon, President of the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA), attributes this progress to the agility of local firms, focused advocacy, and a strong commitment to expanding export capacity
“Periods of high energy prices created liquidity and investment opportunities, while downturns exposed structural vulnerabilities, particularly foreign exchange shortages and reduced domestic demand,” Ramkissoon explains.
At the same time, manufacturers have faced rising logistics and input costs, supply chain disruptions, and intensifying competition. These headwinds have made diversification and resilience central to industry strategy, with TTMA focusing on export development, trade facilitation, and targeted advocacy to help firms adapt and scale.
Setting the Stage for Manufacturing Excellence
To boost competitiveness, Ramkissoon emphasises the need for a more supportive operating climate: “Manufacturers require a more efficient business environment, improved access to foreign exchange, modernised trade facilitation systems, reliable infrastructure, and faster regulatory approvals.”
In response to these challenges, TTMA’s priorities include establishing a predictable foreign exchange allocation framework for productive sectors, accelerating the digitisation of customs and port operations, clearing VAT refund backlogs within statutory timelines, and expanding export financing and credit guarantees. The Association also champions incentives for automation, technology adoption, R&D, and productivity improvements. Additional focus areas include strengthening technical and vocational education, improving inter-agency coordination, increasing access to industrial land, and reducing energy and logistics costs. Ramkissoon also stresses the importance of effective measures to address crime, which undermines business confidence.
Ramkissoon points out that manufacturers are adapting to input volatility and foreign exchange pressures: “Many companies have diversified supplier networks, increased inventory buffers for critical inputs, entered longer-term supply agreements, and invested in improved forecasting and inventory management systems.”
From Proudly T&T to National Movement
TTMA launched the ‘Proudly T&T’ campaign in 2017, aiming to boost consumer preference for local products. Building on this momentum, the government recently introduced the ‘Buy Local, Build Trinbago’ initiative in January 2026 to further galvanise support for domestic manufacturing. TTMA notes that the effectiveness of this new campaign will depend on its ability to convert awareness into measurable outcomes by driving product innovation, enhanced packaging, higher quality standards, and stronger branding.
At the policy level, Ramkissoon suggests that government procurement should support local industry when quality and competitiveness are assured. He also observes that increasing consumer understanding of the economic impact of buying local is important. Furthermore, import substitution, he adds, “should not be viewed as protectionism” but as a strategy to create jobs, retain foreign exchange, and strengthen industrial resilience by identifying products that can be competitively produced domestically.
To complement these buy-local efforts and policy measures, empowering local manufacturers, especially SMEs, to compete internationally has become a strategic priority.
Equipping the Next Generation of Exporters
Recognising that SMEs are central to export growth, Ramkissoon highlights a range of targeted support delivered through TTMA’s Export Action Programme (EAP): export-readiness assessments, mentoring, certification support, export financing, market intelligence, digital commerce training, and practical assistance with logistics and market entry.
“TTMA’s EAP was specifically designed around these needs, providing hands-on implementation support rather than purely theoretical training,” Ramkissoon notes. TTMA and the Export‑Import Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (Eximbank) are preparing to open applications for Cohort 3 of the EAP, following more than US$80,000 in new export sales generated by previously non‑exporting businesses in Cohort 2.
To date, Cohort 2 companies have secured new opportunities in Guyana, Jamaica, Barbados, and the United States. Export readiness among SMEs in the EAP also increased significantly, with average scores rising from 42% to 87%.
Taking T&T Products to the World
CARICOM remains a natural market for Trinidad and Tobago manufacturers, offering close proximity, preferential access, and established trade relationships. However, Ramkissoon notes that T&T non-energy exports represent less than 10% of all non-energy imports into CARICOM, and “this signifies that there is still a lot of scope and potential for T&T goods to displace and replace imported products from extra-regional sources into CARICOM.”
Priority subsectors for regional growth include food and beverage manufacturing, agro-processing, packaging, construction materials, chemicals, household products, and specialised industrial goods.
To capitalise on these opportunities, TTMA has actively pursued trade missions and export facilitation, connecting members with new buyers and diversifying sourcing. Recent missions to India, Canada, China, Ghana, and Chile, as well as planned trips to Curaçao, Panama, and Miami, aim to secure market opportunities and source alternative inputs and technology.
TTMA’s drive to connect manufacturers with new markets is also reflected in its flagship Trade and Investment Convention (TIC). “Since it was launched in 1999, TIC has generated over US$1 billion in trade,” Ramkissoon reports. The convention, which began with just 15 booths, has now expanded to more than 400, underscoring its role as a catalyst for business growth and regional networking.
As Trinidad and Tobago manufacturers strengthen their foothold in regional and global markets, attention is turning to the essential steps needed to drive the next phase of export-led growth.
Charting the Path Forward
“Achieving a 71% increase in non-energy exports is ambitious but attainable if the right enablers are put in place. Success will depend on five critical pillars: improved access to foreign exchange, enhanced trade facilitation, stronger export financing mechanisms, investment in productivity and innovation, and sustained public‑private collaboration,” Ramkissoon says.
Key sectors expected to drive growth include food and beverages, household products, packaging and printing, construction materials, health and wellness products, chemicals, manufactured consumer goods, and value-added industrial products. CARICOM remains the primary base for expansion, with additional opportunities in Guyana, Suriname, Central America, the Dominican Republic, and select North American and diaspora markets.
“Ultimately, reaching TT$10.6 billion in non-energy exports will require more than individual company success. It will require a coordinated national effort that positions manufacturing as a central pillar of economic diversification, foreign-exchange generation, job creation, and long-term sustainable growth. The good news is that the capability already exists. The challenge now is scaling it.” A challenge, Ramkissoon makes clear, that Trinidad and Tobago’s manufacturers are ready to meet.
