Wisynco raises a glass to Devon Reynolds

For 43 years, Devon Reynolds has been a quiet but decisive force behind Wisynco Group’s production operations, guiding the company’s evolution from factory floor to large-scale manufacturing. On Tuesday his contribution was etched into corporate history when Wisynco named its new brewery and manufacturing facility in his honour.

The Devon H Reynolds Brewery and Manufacturing Plant, now operational at the group’s Lakes Pen headquarters in St Catherine, represents the highest recognition Wisynco could bestow on its longest-serving employee.

Reynolds began at the Twickenham Park plant in plastics before moving into beverage manufacturing. An engineer by training, he rose steadily to become director of production. In an interview with The Gleaner, he admitted he had no inkling of the tribute and was “shocked” when CEO Andrew Mahfood made the announcement at the opening ceremony.

“I was shocked at the announcement, but I felt good about it. It is the workers that deserve it. I have gotten support from management and the basic shop floor staff, so I feel good for them. I think they feel good about it. I feel proud,” he said.

Reflecting on his tenure, Reynolds pointed to the dramatic expansion of Wisynco’s beverage operations as a hallmark achievement. “I went into beverage manufacturing and moved it about 40 times the size since I got involved and took over the department,” he noted. Growth, he stressed, was not only about scale but also efficiency. “We have increased every year, done better and better, increased productivity, increased our use of energy, increased our use of labour, reduced the amount of water we used to make one litre of production.”

He recalled one of the toughest periods of his career: the aftermath of a fire in 2016 that destroyed the company’s warehouse. “It was a very difficult period for us because we could only manufacture in small quantities, which was not very efficient without the warehouse space. We, however, managed to be very productive,” he recounted.

Looking ahead, Reynolds is confident about Wisynco’s entry into beer manufacturing, even as he acknowledged that Jamaican beer consumption lags behind other Caribbean and North American markets. “When we went into soft drink, we grew the market. When we went into water, we grew the market. So we are going to grow the market again with beer,” he asserted.

At the ceremony, Mahfood also paid tribute to Wisynco’s workforce, emphasising the company’s strong employment record and the opportunities created by the new investment. “This new facility represents a major step forward in our manufacturing capability. It brings new employment for 285 team members — 85 in direct production and approximately 200 in indirect roles, including sales, distribution and marketing,” he said.

The investment formally positions Wisynco in brewing, with the plant producing beers, stouts, malts and ready-to-drink beverages. These include Worthy Park mixed rum-based drinks and Stone’s Ginger Wine, all manufactured locally for domestic consumption.

The launch unveiled several new products: Legend Beer, M-Powa Malt (a non-alcoholic malt beverage) and Mamba Stout.

ruddy.mathison@gleanerjm.com