IPA Export’s Heico Thorn on Supplying Caribbean Hotels
From hotel rum bars to some of the Caribbean’s top restaurants, Heico Thorn has played a major role in supplying top projects across the region in the last few decades. Thorn’s IPA Export, founded in 1993, has helped complete hundreds of projects from the British Virgin Islands to Dominica to St Vincent and everywhere in between.
To learn more about IPA and the state of the industry, Caribbean Journal Invest caught up with Thorn in Fort Lauderdale.
You have been working primarily in the Caribbean for over 30 years. Why the Caribbean?
The Caribbean Islands are a fun and exciting market, not to mention it’s beautiful. The people are incredible, resilient and they appreciate everything that you can do for them. They expect nothing but honest service and mutual respect.
Can you tell us what it is you do and how it all works?
We have helped many so many different types of projects in the Caribbean for over 30 years, that’s what makes us special, uniquely experienced and qualified to handle most project requests.
IPA Export specializes in many areas, mainly supplying the Hospitality Industry, and diversifying our scope with commercial Contractors and Hospitals covering the whole of the Caribbean Islands. We handle importing Food Service Equipment, Laundry Equipment, both High End Residential & Commercial Appliances. We also handle necessary supply, contract furniture, windows, doors, and locks plus plumbing fixtures.
You work in hotels, restaurants and residential. Which do you do more of? Which are you more fond of?
Good questions. That answer changes with each year and sometimes each season.
There is a lot of crossover in the hospitality industry whether commercial or residential. I’ll admit the individual residential needs are competing with the commercial industry, but hasn’t quite caught up with the demand.
We are the experts in supporting the front of the house along with the back of the house. From fine china and glassware for a discerning guest to table top serviceware for 1000, cooking equipment for the lone wolf Chef to the masters Chefs of production. We can tier supplies for housekeeping equipment, most everything for the boutique hotel to the grand resorts and meet nearly every need for food and beverage outlets –– all with exceptional personal service.
Honestly, meeting the right needs and services within a company’s expectation is what I am most fond of.
Technology has changed dramatically over 30 years. How has that affected your business?
It has helped in a million ways. Who doesn’t remember the old fax machine or pager?
Two significant ways it has directed the way we manage our business. The first is that technology has made it seamless for us to meet face to face with the key decision makers, provide instant communication and facilitate deadlines within a more manageable comfort zone for everyone. It is a ‘win win’ for our clients and us. We are both more greatly informed giving clearer information for important decisions on both our sides.
The other way technology has affected us is the overall methods of Customer Service. Have you noticed that there are almost no Customer Service tabs online anymore? Most client facing departments have had to diversify so much it is disappearing from the internet? I believe that technology is trying desperately to fill that gap but its current default is an AI bot. Nobody wants to type out or write down their urgent questions, or press a series of numbers to speak to someone, only to get a voicemail and have to wait on a response that may never come. Those days are done and clients are looking for personalized service again.
I’m happy to say, we still operate the old fashion way –– by speaking and working directly to the client. We are a ‘people to people’ to company or in IT jargon, I’d say we are the old school B2B. To this day, I refuse to have an automated phone service. My team and I like talking to clients and problem solving. That said, we have had to adapt to move conversation along fluently over an email, text, Zoom or Whats app and always available by phone. After all, it is a smartphone.
Are you seeing a lot of renovations and upgrades to new equipment and technology? Do you do more new construction or renovations?
We are starting to see many — “1 in 3” or “60%” of our past projects we helped as new construction nearly 30 years ago come back and ask us to do it all over again; renovate, reinvent and reimagine their projects. Heico – do you have a short thought on the ratio of new construction to renovation overall at IPA?
Any new projects on the horizon next year that have changed your approach? What is it about them that is motivating to you?
There are a lot of new projects in the works in the Caribbean. We find that when buyers shop only by price, they soon realize that they are getting what they paid for. Of course they have a budget, we aim to identify and qualify the buyer’s needs once they have established their business plan. IPA Export is in it for the long game. I saw this need and expanded our Service Department to support all the installations we have completed as well as to offer expert service for new projects.
Project managers seem to now factor whether they want to own equipment for an expected long-term use, or if an operation expects the equipment to be replaced in 3-4 years. IPA Export ensures the client makes the right purchase based on their budget and long range specific needs. We do not just show up for the quick sale.
Can you tell us about a few of your favorite projects?
There are many, but a few stand out. The sublime Necker Island resort has been a huge success for us. Practically all of the Food Service and Laundry outlets have been designed, supplied and serviced by IPA Export. Bell Island in the Exumas gave us complete design autonomy, from supplying to installation, enabled us to remain consistent providing continued service and support. The Rosewood Little Dix Bay Rum Bar is one of my favorite bars we built.
The nifty Green Island custom modular 40’ HC Container Kitchen project was really fun. We were able to push über high at Moskito Island’s high end Residential Kitchen Appliances Show. Then most recently the new and prized Food Service and Laundry service at Peter Island Resort in the BVI.
Without naming names can you tell us about a disaster or something you had to redo or fix?
Our company has been able to proudly support projects we lost during bidding.
What the client did not realize is after the project was awarded to our competition, the supplier had no understanding of the equipment they were selling and what is involved with providing a turnkey operation. We have been asked many times to then take over and complete a job where the other company had failed.
Everybody wants to provide equipment and services to the Caribbean and the best price, but the buyer should be fully aware of what is and is not included when signing a contract. If you don’t understand the Caribbean, and you don’t have the right team in place, it is a pretty fair chance you will fail.
What’s your outlook for the future of the Caribbean culinary, hospitality and tourism sectors?
It’s the most magnificent array of Islands… which will simply continue to blossom. The Caribbean market has been growing exponentially for over the 30 years I have been there and I see only growth for its future.
I have been supporting the Caribbean Hospitality Market for over 3 decades and I feel IPA Export will continue the tradition of Excellence, Service and Support.
More and more people are exploring the Caribbean for vacations, to live or just to have a place they can retreat to.
For more information contact: heico@ipaexport.com
