Barama’s $1B expansion aligns with govt’s vision for value-added forestry, housing growth

The government’s push to expand value-added manufacturing, support the national housing programme and maximise returns from the country’s natural resources was reinforced last Friday during a site visit to the facilities of Barama Company Limited (BCL) on the East Bank of Demerara.

Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat visited the facility alongside Minister within the Ministry of Housing Vanessa Benn, Commissioner of Forests Edward Goberdhan, and Country Manager of BCL Guyana, Mohindra Chand.

Established in 1991, Barama Company Limited is the largest investor in Guyana’s forestry sector and a key contributor to the domestic supply of construction materials. 

“When you buy plywood produced in Guyana, it is from trees that are sustainably harvested. The product is good. It is of high quality,” Minister Benn emphasised. 

The expansion has also deepened linkages with rural and hinterland communities. 

Approximately 95 per cent of Barama’s manufacturing inputs are sourced locally, with the company partnering with small-scale loggers and community forestry associations. 

The company specialises in tropical hardwood plywood and has played a central role in advancing value-added production from Guyana’s forest resources.

The visit coincided with the company’s ongoing Strategic Reinvestment and Plywood Expansion programme, known as “Barama 3.0”, which represents a major step in Guyana’s industrial and manufacturing development. 

The $1 billion reinvestment will expand BCL’s plywood production facilities at Land of Canaan, increasing production capacity by between 50 and 70 per cent, depending on market conditions.

The expansion directly supports the government’s aggressive housing drive by strengthening the local supply of high-quality plywood, reducing reliance on imports, and ensuring greater availability of materials for both public and private-sector construction.

Following a period of restructuring, Barama has transitioned to full operational recovery, improving the conversion rate of logs to finished plywood by more than seven per cent. 

This optimisation allows for greater value extraction from every cubic metre of timber harvested. It is consistent with Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), which prioritises sustainable forest management and higher-value outputs.

As part of its reinvestment, the company has introduced waterproof (WBP) plywood to meet growing construction demand, with plans to add additional specialised plywood products to diversify its product line.

Employment growth remains a major outcome of the project. 

Barama’s workforce capacity has expanded to 415 employees, with women accounting for over 40 per cent of staff across technical, production and management roles, marking a significant shift in the traditionally male-dominated forestry sector.

Minister Benn was impressed by this and urged Guyanese to support local, thereby supporting the families behind the dedicated and hardworking women. 

“These are women involved in the forestry sector, particularly the production line, producing plywood from sustainably harvested trees from lesser-used species. Every single sheet of plywood you buy, you support the families of these women,” Minister Benn said.

The company has also been re-certified for four consecutive years under the GNBS “Made in Guyana” Standards Mark, affirming the quality and competitiveness of its locally manufactured plywood for domestic use and export markets.