Rubber Roots Growing New Futures Across Liberian Communities

Processing 25,000 tons of natural rubber annually while advancing downstream manufacturing, community infrastructure, and environmental stewardship in Liberia. 

 “I encourage people to invest in the agriculture sector because land is abundant here.” Dr Upjit Singh Sachdeva, CEO of Jeety Rubber LLC 

In the heart of Liberia’s Margibi County, Jeety Rubber LLC is reshaping the country’s rubber industry with a vision rooted in innovation, sustainability, and community development. At the helm is CEO Dr Upjit Singh Sachdeva, a businessman who first arrived in Liberia in 1987 and has since built a career deeply tied to the nation’s growth. “Liberia has provided me everything a man needs in his life,” Sachdeva says. “Whatever I do, I do it from my heart.”  

The company, which began operations in 2023 with a US$40 million factory in Weala, processes natural rubber into technically specified rubber (TSR10 and TSR-20) for export. With an annual processing capacity of 25,000 tons and a daily output of up to 250 tons, Jeety Rubber has quickly become one of Liberia’s largest rubber buyers. It holds ISO 9001:2015 certification, which positions it as a trusted supplier in the global market.  

While its current focus is on rubber processing, Sachdeva has a bold plan to expand into manufacturing downstream products. “I aim to make tires for Liberia by 2029, ideally even sooner,” he says. The roadmap includes gloves, rain boots, and rubber bands, with feasibility studies guiding each new venture. This approach, he explains, is about adding economic value to Liberia’s raw materials and creating “Made in Liberia” products that have never before been produced in the country. 

To secure raw materials, Jeety Rubber works with around 15,000 smallholder farmers. “They are given the fair market value of their product,” Sachdeva says. The company also owns the Salala Rubber Corporation, acquired in 2024, which strengthens its supply chain and creates more employment. Between the Weala factory and the plantation, Jeety Rubber employs over 1,000 people.  

At the heart of Jeety Rubber’s operations lies Sachdeva’s guiding philosophy, rooted in the Sikh tenets of Kirat Karo, Naam Japo, and Vand Chhako, corresponding to a prescription to honest living, offering prayers, and above all, service to humanity. This commitment is evident in the company’s extensive community programs. In Monrovia, Jeety Rubber feeds over 2,000 people daily, while in Weala, 400 children from surrounding communities receive meals each day. At the SRC plantation schools, the student retention rate has risen from 65% to 99% under his stewardship, with over 1,000 students benefiting from school feeding initiatives. 

Infrastructure projects are equally ambitious. Sachdeva is introducing pipe-borne water to 15 villages and investing in green energy for the plantation’s seven residential camps. “Every house will have light, powered by green energy, and each camp will have running water,” he says. Plans also include TV centers in each camp to serve as communal gathering points.  

Healthcare is another focus. The plantation’s hospital now has its first registered medical doctor since 1959, and an eye hospital is under construction following a successful eye camp that treated over 400 people. The company also provides free anti-snake venom across Liberia, addressing a common rural health risk. “These are small things you can do that make a big difference,” Sachdeva says.  

Jeety Rubber stands out in the Liberian market for its environmental practices. The factory is the only one in the country that re-harvests water, a process that saves around 15,000 liters per ton of rubber produced. Wastewater is collected in lined ponds using natural materials to prevent ground contamination, then recycled back into production. Sachdeva is now preparing to install a state-of-the-art effluent treatment plant, a first for Liberia’s rubber industry.  

From processing rubber to building schools, hospitals, and sustainable infrastructure, Jeety Rubber LLC is proving that industrial growth and community development can go hand in hand. The company is advancing downstream manufacturing, expanding green energy across its plantation camps, and installing Liberia’s first state-of-the-art effluent treatment plant to strengthen environmental stewardship. “A state- of-the-art unit will be established here for the first time,” he notes, highlighting a commitment to sustainable operations. Through closed-loop water reuse, school feeding programs, rural healthcare initiatives, and improved community facilities, Jeety Rubber is creating a ripple effect of progress.