PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – MSC PLUS, SA, the first full-service home improvement and construction supply store of its kind in Haiti, has opened a 30,000 square foot facility stocked with more than 10,000 items.
Located on Port-au-Prince’s Boulevard du 15 Octobre, less than a kilometer from the new AmericanEmbassy, MSC Plus is stocked with a broad range of construction and home improvement supplies to assist with Haiti’s vast reconstruction needs.
“The country basically needs everything related to construction and home supplies,” said Chris Handal, who along with his three brothers, Michel, Stanley, and Randy, developed and run MSC TRADING SA. “So we developed this concept of a one-stop shop with everything from the smallest screw, to appliances, to flooring, to finishing supplies, and much more.”
The Handal family businesses, founded by Michel and Nicole Handal, have been serving the Haitian community since the mid-1960’s.
“Absolutely no one was immune from this catastrophe,” continues Chris Handal. “We lost close friends, we lost property, but we did not lose our desire to see a brighter future for Haiti. We are determined to capitalize on the momentum that was realized during 2009, and the hope it brought to all of our people.”
“The importance of enterprises such as MSC PLUS to Haiti’s rebuilding efforts cannot be overstated,” said Youri Mevs, president of the Haitian Economic Development Foundation (HEDF), and managing principal of Port-au-Prince based WIN Group. “For the most part, companies looking to rebuild have to procure construction materials and supplies from neighboring countries, which is expensive and time-consuming. MSC PLUS will stock many of the materials needed to accelerate the repair and rebuilding process of homes, schools, hospitals and businesses. We applaud their efforts and are honored that they are an integral part of our Foundation.”
The Haitian Economic Development Foundation was designed to foster economic growth throughout Haiti. The apolitical Foundation is comprised of some of the nation’s most influential enterprises and individuals, with the singular goal of attracting and fostering business in Haiti.
“We have taken our government’s message that ‘Haiti is open for business’ to heart,” concludes Handal. “The needs are clearly great, and it is of paramount importance that we all do what needs to be done to reignite our economy, create jobs, and help rebuild the country.”
