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INNOVATORS<br />
Lange <strong>Trinidad</strong><br />
to supply the<br />
Caribbean’s battery<br />
needs<br />
WORDS By: natalie dookie<br />
PHOTOGRAPHY courtesy: LANGE TRINIDAD<br />
Astalwart in the automotive industry since 1957, Lange is one of the<br />
leading battery distributors in <strong>Trinidad</strong> and <strong>Tobago</strong>. With 80 employees<br />
and four departments – automotive, batteries, industrial and insurance –<br />
the firm was one of the first companies in <strong>Trinidad</strong> and <strong>Tobago</strong> to earn an<br />
official “SME 2000 certification for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Quality and<br />
Environmental Management System”.<br />
Today, Lange is building on that track record of success by establishing its first<br />
manufacturing venture, through its subsidiary LTL Manufacturing Limited.<br />
Lange carries a wide range of battery products, including Premium, E-Series,<br />
Heavy Duty, 6-Volt, Traction and Gel Batteries for light and heavy duty automotive<br />
application. It also supplies the construction and marine sectors’ needs.<br />
Steven Blanc, Chief Operating Officer, Lange <strong>Trinidad</strong> Limited, notes that the<br />
locally produced TRACK battery brand, established in 1987, is a household name<br />
with consumers. “In 2014, we began looking at new export markets and decided to<br />
source an international supply that would be able to compete on quality globally.<br />
“Eventually, we found a manufacturer in Turkey, which met our needs of being<br />
strong on quality, and research and development. We began importing from them<br />
with the goal of setting up a plant in <strong>Trinidad</strong> and <strong>Tobago</strong>.”<br />
From importer to manufacturer<br />
Blanc believed that, as <strong>Trinidad</strong> and <strong>Tobago</strong> was heavily reliant on revenues from<br />
the oil and gas industry, there was a shortage of export-oriented manufacturing<br />
businesses generating foreign exchange. “We saw this opportunity as a member of<br />
the private sector, to help improve the economy, through diversifying our business<br />
into manufacturing. As a distribution firm, we had been experiencing foreign<br />
exchange challenges, and wanted to reduce our import bill. Now, as an export driven<br />
manufacturer, we will become a net positive US dollar earner.”<br />
The Ministry of Trade and Industry came in for high praise from Blanc, who<br />
credits their team with providing excellent support to first-time manufacturers,<br />
especially one like Lange, whose product is sophisticated and requires significant<br />
engineering and research and development services. The Ministry also assisted with<br />
obtaining the necessary certifications, and with the preparations for export. The<br />
Environmental Management Authority (EMA), the Customs and Excise Division and<br />
exporTT were also helpful in getting Lange to this point.<br />
10<br />
<strong>Trinidad</strong><br />
and <strong>Tobago</strong> Chamber<br />
of Industry and Commerce<br />
www.chamber.org.tt/contact-magazine