Energy Intensive Manufacturing

Energy Intensive Manufacturing

Trinidad and Tobago is an ideal location for the setting up of manufacturing enterprises within the Caribbean. Its robust logistics infrastructure, supported by numerous bi-lateral and multi-lateral trade agreements, has consistently created pathways for manufacturers seeking to widen their access to new markets.

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Quick industry facts

  • 114 years

    Historical experience in petroleum

  • Major petroleum hub

    Ammonia & Methanol

  • Manufacturing hub

    The largest in the English-speaking Caribbean

  • LNG

    A major regional and global exporter

  • 7.1%

    of total labour force employed in manufacturing

  • 21%

    Growth in volume of exports of goods (IMF:World Economic Outlook Database, 2021)

Investment Opportunities

Gas-based Downstream Energy

• Alternative Fuels & Fuel Additives — CNG, Petrochemicals for Fuels (eg: flex fuels), DME

• Metals Processing - Aluminum

• Downstream Methanol — DME and Plastics

• Downstream Ammonia — Urea, Fertiliser Applications

• Inorganic Chemicals

• Biochemicals - Natural gas to protein

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Sustainable Energy

  • Renewable Energy electricity generation
  • Manufacturing of solar and wind components
  • Green hydrogen and green chemicals
  • Energy storage - battery assembly
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Other Manufacturing

• Trinidad is the leading manufacturer of consumer goods for the CARICOM Market with food and beverages accounting for 24% of exports. Opportunities exist for the manufacturing of prepared foodstuff, beverages, and spirits.

• Pulp and Paper Manufacturing opportunities exist for the manufacturing of products using wood as a raw material to produce pulp, paper, paperboard, and other cellulose-based products.

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Government Incentives

A portfolio of attractive incentives is available to manufacturers in Trinidad and Tobago.

  • Import Concessions
    • Companies can import packaging materials via the Second Schedule of the Customs Act duty–free, based on certain conditions.
  • Duty-free Treatment
    • Under the provisions of the Third Schedule of the Customs Act, a company can benefit from duty exemptions on raw materials, machinery, equipment, packaging materials.
  • Research and Development Facility (under exporTT)
    • The Research and Development Facility is a grant fund to provide financial support to the non-energy manufacturing and services sector.
  • Promotional Expenses Allowance
    • Promotional expenses incurred by local firms to promote the expansion of existing markets and/or the creation of new ones for the export of specified services or locally produced goods are tax deductible as an expense at 150% of the actual outlay.
  • Fiscal Incentives
    • An approved enterprise, which must be a locally incorporated resident corporation, may be granted an exemption from corporation tax for a period of up to 10 years, depending on the category under which it is approved.
  • Value Added Tax (VAT) waiver on imported construction material for approved building projects
  • EXIM Bank Forex Facility.
Download brochure for further details on incentives.

Major Export Markets

  • CARICOM

  • USA

  • Canada

  • United Kingdom

  • Cuba

  • Chile

Sector Advantages

Strategic Location

Trinidad lies 11km, at its closest point, from the South American mainland, and approximately 19 km off the international shipping lanes to the USA and Europe. The country provides an ideal geographical location for importing raw materials from South American countries for processing and exportation. Its location below the hurricane belt minimizes operational downtime due to hurricane activity.

Market Access to 1 BIllion people

Trade Agreements (with Colombia, Cuba, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Panama, CARICOM and the European Union) provide exporters with market access to 628 million people. Unilateral Trade Programmes (USA, Canada) provide access to 371 million people. Additionally T&T is a member of the CARICOM Customs Union which gives it market access to 7.5 million people. Double taxation treaties also exist with Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA and Venezuela.

Two International Ports

Two major seaports for sea freight (Port of Port of Spain, and Port of Point Lisas) and one major airport for air freight (Piarco International Airport) for importing raw materials and exporting finished goods.

Easy Access to Raw Material

Downstream energy commodities produced in significant quantities in T&T include urea, melamine, bitumen and asphalt. The country’s location also offers easy access to mineral rich South American countries including Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and Brazil.

Low Business Costs

T&T is 1st for cost-effectiveness in Central America and the Caribbean. Electricity rates start as low as US $0.05 kWh, offering investors access to some of the lowest energy costs in the western hemisphere.

Educated, Skilled Workforce

T&T has a workforce of approximately 588,900 persons. English is the native tongue and there is a high competency of Spanish as the country is only 11km off the coast of South America. Manufacturing industries benefit from skilled labour trained in Mechanical, Chemical, Instrumentation and Process Engineering, Management Studies and IT-related disciplines.

Commercial Spaces

Businesses in the Manufacturing sub-industries utilize a significant majority of approximately 35km2 allocated for industrial and business development in T&T through its state owned industrial parks. Currently, 19 industrial parks provide ready facilities to the 250+ local manufacturing companies throughout the country. An additional estimated 5.3 km2 of leasable land is currently available through state owned enterprises e TecK, e-idcot and the AATT.

Click here for information on Phoenix Park Industrial Estate

  • Cove Eco Industrial and Business Park

    Located in Tobago the Cove provides 0.56 Sq.km of developed land lots

  • Tamana InTech Park

    Managed by e TecK. Tamana provides 4.5 Sq.km of leasable real estate.

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Investments

Investment OfficerTEL: +1.868.225.4688 FAX: +1 868 225 5820