KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a landmark collaboration to uplift Jamaica’s professional painting and finishing sector, local chemical and coatings supplier EdgeChem has partnered with global industry brand Pentrilo to host the Jamaica leg of the Pentrilo Masters World Tour 2026, an immersive, hands-on professional development workshop focused on raising craft standards across the island.
Hosted on April 29 at Kingston’s Caymanas Golf Club, the event reimagined the popular venue as a dynamic, live working classroom, where more than 100 local painters and contracting professionals had the rare opportunity to learn directly from Juan Carlos Paris, an internationally acclaimed decorative painting specialist with decades of global industry experience.
Unlike traditional lecture-based training sessions, the workshop centered entirely on practical, real-world skill-building. Participants worked through guided exercises focused on cutting-edge application methods, getting firsthand experience with professional-grade tools and techniques that are still new to many Jamaican contractors. Training modules covered complex multi-layer finish application, precision surface preparation and taping, high-performance roller system use, and decorative plaster installation, allowing attendees to refine their craft step-by-step and build both technical proficiency and on-the-job confidence.
To extend the impact of the single-day event, every participant took home a custom Pentri Box stocked with a full range of specialized painting tools and equipment, enabling them to practice new techniques and apply their learnings to future projects long after the workshop concluded. At the end of the training, all attendees also received official certification for completing the global Pentrilo Masters program.
For Jamaica’s growing construction and finishing sector, the workshop filled a critical gap: it gave local professionals access to world-class training without the cost or barrier of traveling overseas for international education. This comes at a time when domestic demand for high-quality residential and commercial painting finishes is rising rapidly, as homeowners and business clients increasingly expect work aligned with global quality benchmarks. Industry leaders note that initiatives like this are essential to helping local contractors stay competitive and meet evolving market expectations.
Melissa McHargh, Chief Operating Officer of EdgeChem Jamaica Limited, highlighted that the high level of participant engagement throughout the day made clear that Jamaican painting professionals have a strong appetite for continuous improvement and skill development. She emphasized that adopting innovative tools and modern techniques does more than improve final finish quality—it also boosts work efficiency, reduces physical fatigue for on-site crews, and cuts down on unnecessary material waste.
McHargh added that bringing globally recognized training directly to local professionals helps close the gap between common domestic practices and international best-in-class methods. The long-term impact of this work extends far beyond individual participants, she noted, as improved skills will drive higher efficiency, less waste, and higher overall project quality across job sites throughout Jamaica.
EdgeChem CEO Ockino Petrie emphasized in an official news release that the company’s mission goes far beyond simply supplying coatings and finishing products to the Jamaican market. “At EdgeChem, our role goes beyond supplying coatings; we are committed to strengthening the entire ecosystem that supports quality construction and finishing,” Petrie said. “By bringing world-class training directly to Jamaican professionals, we’re helping raise industry standards, improve sustainability and ensure our local contractors can confidently compete at an international level.”
By the end of the landmark session, participants departed not only with new certification and professional tools, but also with a renewed sense of pride and perspective on their craft, ready to bring upgraded skills to projects across the island.