Jeety Rubber-SRC: Models of Private Investment

Weala, Margibi County, May 20, 2026 — The top U.S. diplomat in Liberia has praised Jeety Rubber and its subsidiary, Salala Rubber Corporation, as models of private investment and community development in Weala, Margibi County.

During a visit to the companies’ operations on Tuesday, May 19, U.S. Charge d’Affaires Joseph Zadrozny described their achievements as a powerful example of how investment, community partnership, and ambition can transform lives and strengthen Liberia’s economy.

“It takes not just an investor, not just his workers, but the whole community working together,” he said. “Being able to come out and see it work allows me to go back and talk about what’s really happening in Liberia.”

Mr. Zadrozny expressed his hope that American investors, especially Liberian American investors from the diaspora, will be encouraged to invest in Liberia, citing Jeety Rubber’s success as a compelling case.

He emphasized that the level of progress he witnessed provides a strong foundation to promote Liberia as a destination for further international business opportunities.

Mr. Zadrozny also highlighted that Jeety Rubber and Salala Rubber Corporation’s investments extend well beyond the factory floor, which he described as central to their success.

While acknowledging the challenges of doing business in Liberia, the U.S. envoy commended business tycoon Upjit Singh Sachdeva (Jeety) for pursuing ambitious goals and following through on them.

“I have been here now for close to a year, and I hear of plans and dreams the people want to see. But it’s really exciting to see what is actually being accomplished here in this area,” Mr. Zadrozny said.

He noted that it is inspiring to witness tangible progress, such as the expansion of schools, hospitals, and factories, as well as the export of rubber to the United States, where it is used to manufacture high-quality products.

Jeety Rubber, a subsidiary of the Jeety Conglomerate, acquired Salala Rubber Corporation — Liberia’s fourth-largest rubber producer, from Belgian-French conglomerate Socfin in August 2024. The acquisition followed the previous owner’s shutdown of operations after violent worker protests over housing and healthcare, which left over 800 people unemployed.

Under its new ownership, the plantation has resumed full operations. Upjit Singh Sachdeva described the reopening as “a new chapter for SRC, the workers, and the entire country.”

The companies now employ over 1,500 workers, including employees and contractors from Weala and nearby communities. Community investments by Jeety Rubber and SRC include nine deep-bore wells serving more than 6,000 people, an ongoing expansion of their 50-bed clinic to add four operating theaters and a dedicated eye clinic, a US$10,000 annual district scholarship fund, and a daily feeding program.

During his visit, Mr. Zadrozny toured the factory floor, a maternity ward and clinic, and school classrooms from early childhood through secondary education, including the science laboratory. He remarked that these efforts reinforce his view that the companies’ success stems from investing in the broader community.

“I saw the birthing room at the hospital. I saw the early education classrooms, the higher school education, the science labs,” he said. “When you see a factory that is expanding, you need people who understand science and math, people who can take the jobs that are going to be available. All of those steps matter.”

Mr. Zadrozny is one of several foreign envoys who have recognized Jeety Rubber’s impact. In February, Slovak Ambassador Martin Podstavek toured the companies, describing their investments as clear evidence of Liberia’s improving business climate and growing investment potential.

Similarly, Indian Ambassador Manoj Bihari Verma visited the facility in March 2025, praising Sachdeva for efforts to improve SRC’s infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and worker housing, and announced that his government would explore undergraduate scholarship opportunities for residents of Margibi County’s District Five.

This diplomatic attention comes as the companies have also received formal recognition from within Liberia’s agricultural sector. In late March, the Rubber Planters Association of Liberia (RPAL) and the Rubber Development Fund Incorporated (RDFI) honored Sachdeva in a ceremony marked by cultural symbolism, robing him in traditional Liberian attire and conferring upon him the Liberian name “Kolleh,” meaning “a bright and good man.”

The certificate, signed by RPAL President Wilhelmina Mulbah Siaway and RDFI Chairman J. Tokpah Mulbah, cited the companies’ exceptional contributions to Liberia’s rubber sector and unwavering support for smallholder farmers during a period when other buyers suspended purchases in protest of government price regulations.

The association noted that Jeety Rubber continued purchasing rubber throughout the disruption, providing a critical market outlet for thousands of farmers. The company has also extended interest-free loans to more than 100 farmers since 2025 to support replanting and expansion, with repayments structured through deductions from future rubber sales.

Earlier, Mr. Sachdeva shared his long-term vision to transform Liberia into a tire-producing country, aiming to produce the nation’s first tires by 2028.

According to Mr. Sachdeva, the factory currently processes five tons of rubber per hour, requiring 200 to 225 tons of raw rubber daily to sustain operations. A major expansion is underway to increase production capacity to 550 tons per day.

“My target to complete the expansion is August, but I am keeping September open,” he explained, citing the ongoing Middle East conflict and disruptions in global shipping as potential challenges.

Mr. Sachdeva issued a passionate appeal to Liberian rubber farmers, producers, and workers to support the initiative by ensuring a stable supply of raw rubber.

“If I can get that rubber, my family and I will make sure that the dream of every Liberian — a dream they have carried for over 100 years, will become reality in this factory,” he declared. “That dream is to produce made-in-Liberia tires by 2028. However, achieving this historic goal depends entirely on access to sufficient quantities of locally sourced rubber. If I cannot get the rubber, I will not be in a position to make tires.”