Gafoors secures GNBS certification for 3 locally made products

As Guyana observes National Quality Week from October 11 to 17 and World Standards Day on October 14, Gafsons Industries Limited has highlighted the role of standards in strengthening local manufacturing and ensuring consistency in locally produced goods.

The company, commonly known as Gafoors, has certified three locally manufactured products under the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) Product Certification Programme, with its latest achievement being the certification of its 1,700-litre rotationally moulded polyethylene water storage tank.
According to Deputy Factory Manager Jitendra Mishrah, Gafsons Industries began operations in 1953 and was incorporated in 1971. Under the leadership of Executive Chairman Sattaur Gafoor, the company has expanded its manufacturing operations and now produces a range of products, including PVC pipes and fittings, polyethylene water storage tanks, shrink wrap, wallboard, silica board and construction buckets.
Mishrah said the company is also pursuing new manufacturing projects, including ultraviolet (UV) boards and Stone Plastic Composite products.
He explained that the company’s expansion in manufacturing was driven by a desire to produce more goods locally instead of relying solely on imports, while creating employment opportunities.
The company’s local manufacturing drive has been supported by its participation in the GNBS Product Certification Programme.
Mishrah said standards are important in protecting consumers and ensuring that locally manufactured products meet established requirements.
“You can’t have a counterfeit product coming to Guyana, and customers suffer for that. Like somebody is buying a pipe and a fitting, the fitting and pipe are not matching, so that is the reason why GNBS plays a very vital role in establishing production in this country, and that helps the customer; that helps the manufacturer,” he said.
Gafsons’ 4-inch concrete hollow blocks were first certified in June 2019 and are certified to the GYS 215:2024 Standard.
Meanwhile, PVC pipes manufactured by the company’s sister company, Plastic Products Limited, have been certified by the GNBS since 2000 and currently conform to the GYS 107:2021 and GYS 99:2021 Standards.
Last month, Gafsons Industries became the first Guyanese company to achieve certification for its 1,700-litre rotationally moulded polyethylene water storage tanks.
The tanks were certified in accordance with the GYS 588:2023 Standard, allowing the company to use the National Standards Mark on the certified product.
Mishrah said the certification process provides manufacturers with a framework for maintaining consistency and quality.
“The Bureau creates a yardstick for the manufacturer to follow. That makes us very stringent in following the standard. Once we follow the standard, that makes the product more qualitative to the customer, and they become very comfortable utilising the product,” he said.
He explained that the certification requirements have also resulted in changes to the company’s manufacturing and product identification processes.
For the certified water storage tank, manufacturing parameters such as weight and quality were standardised to meet the applicable requirements. The company also revised the product’s labelling to provide customers with information on installation, manufacturing requirements and other details.
Similar traceability measures are used for the company’s certified PVC pipes. The pipes carry printed information identifying the applicable GNBS certification details, manufacturing date and time, and pipe size.
According to Mishrah, these measures improve product identification and traceability while providing customers with information about the products they purchase.
He said certification has also helped to strengthen customer confidence in locally manufactured products, as products bearing the GNBS certification mark have undergone an assessment against the relevant standard.
Maintaining certification requires continued attention to production standards.
“There is a constant effort being made to maintain the standard quality for the customer to get the benefit – we always try to improve,” Mishrah said.
Gafsons is also working towards certification for additional products, including other sizes of polyethylene water storage tanks and additional categories and sizes of PVC pipes.
Mishrah said some products may require modifications to their design and manufacturing parameters before they can be submitted to the GNBS for certification.
The company intends to continue improving its manufacturing processes and increasing the number of products that meet certification requirements.
Mishrah also encouraged other local manufacturers to participate in the GNBS Product Certification Programme, saying greater use of standards could contribute to greater consistency in the marketplace for manufacturers and consumers.
Businesses interested in product certification can contact the GNBS Certification Services Department for information on applicable requirements and the certification process. The GNBS can be contacted on 219-0064-66 or WhatsApp 692-4627, or through the GNBS website.