Vega Alta, PR - Weco, a Puerto Rican company and leader in the production of glues, grouts and construction materials, recently presented awards to four local professional installers from the Weco Community Fund, in partnership with the Puerto Rico Community Foundation (PRCF).
“Today we awarded four winners, among them for the first time a lady, with prizes of $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000 and with this we evidence our support to the country's professional contractors and installers,” detailed WECO's engineer and general manager, Jorge Muñoz. “We are betting that their development and growth will not only help their business, but that they will become prosperous companies that contribute to the country's economy and generate new and more jobs,” Muñoz added.
For his part, Luis Rivera, the tile installer who won first prize and a native of Juncos, said “I am passionate about my profession and I am grateful for WECO's management and instructors, because thanks to what I learned plus the award, it will help me to expand and increase my services in Puerto Rico. The award winners are: first place - Luis Rivera Reyes, from Instalaciones Rivera, in Juncos; second place - Heriberto Ramírez Torres, from San Sebastián; 3rd place- Marta Arriaga La Torre, Remodelaciones Los Flakos, Caguas and in fourth place - Joey Rodríguez Robles, from Las Piedras.
WECO's General Manager highlighted that “simultaneously to the fundraising campaign, in which for every bag of Weco 1000 glue sold, 25 cents went to the workshops, more than 80 contractors and slab installers completed the certification of the Business Development for Installers (DEI) program, with the collaboration of the engineer Francisco Santana, from the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASOPYMES). After this, they provided their Business Plans, on a voluntary basis, and a jury external to the company selected the four best presented plans”.
Likewise, Mary Ann Gabino, senior vice president of FCPR, expressed that “it is very gratifying to see how Puerto Rican companies are willing to collaborate in the socioeconomic development of our Island, stimulating the emergence of small businesses. We are honored to be able to collaborate with Weco in the design and execution of its social responsibility plan and to be the administrators and custodians of this Community Fund. We will also be supporting these entrepreneurs and closely following their success story,” said Mrs. Gabino.
“We are very excited and satisfied to see the culmination of this program, with a robust participation of contractors and installers and a genuine commitment of all the professionals involved in it. I would like to give special thanks to the PR Community Foundation, Carly Carrión, from Black & White Diversified; Francisco Santana, from Asopymes; Alberto Casiano, Quality Manager at Weco, and the clients who supported this program,” said Muñoz.
“Weco's management has been a pioneer in establishing professional and business improvement programs for our Puerto Rican workers and supporting the creation of micro-enterprises on the island in this field. They started with the W-Pro Installers Club program, later adding the Professional Certification for Slab Installers (CPIL), with the participation of Carly Carrión, an installation specialist. More recently they added the Business Development for Installers (DEI) program, with the participation of Eng. Francisco Santana of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASOPYMES). Participation in the courses exceeded the expectations of the participants and even of the management and instructors,” Muñoz explained.
Carly Carrión, installation expert, owner of the Black & White company and Weco CEPIL instructor, urged the winners and participants to “never stop learning, today we took a seed and planted it, do not stay in the business plan, but execute it. Puerto Rico is great and you are greater, with hard work you will be more successful than you already are”, closing the awards ceremony with enthusiasm.
About WECO
Weco has been and continues to be the leading brand in glues and grouts in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean since its foundation in 1963. Unquestionable symbol of the highest quality, excellence and great reputation in the construction industry for more than 50 years. Its world-class products are manufactured locally by Puerto Rican hands and are part of the most important symbols and projects in our history as a people. Since 2013 it became part of the prestigious Blanco Group and has the most modern manufacturing plant in the region.
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