The Charge D’Affairs of the United States Embassy in Liberia, Joseph Zadrozny, has praised Jeety Rubber and its subsidiary, the Salala Rubber Corporation, for its model of private investment and community development in Weala, Margibi County.
Speaking during a visit to the companies on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Zadrozny described the companies’ achievements as a powerful example of how investment, community partnership, and ambition can change 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.”
“I can encourage more investors, and I would really love to see more Liberian-American investors from the diaspora be encouraged to come back and invest here,” Mr. Zadrozny said.
According to the diplomat, the level of success he saw provides a strong basis for him and others to promote Liberia as a destination for more international business opportunities.
Zadrozny added that the breadth of Jeety Rubber and its subsidiary, Salala Rubber Corporation’s investment, which extends well beyond the factory floor, was central to its success.
While the U.S. envoy acknowledged that building a business in Liberia is demanding, he commended business tycoon Upjit Sachdeva for pursuing such “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,” Charge D’ Affaires Zadrozny said.
Mr. Zadrozny: “Whether the rubber is going to hit the road, but to see people not talking about what is going to happen in the future but what is being done right now in your communities, seeing the school, hospital, and other facilities being expanded, the factory, to seeing that rubber being produced,” the U.S. envoy said. “I’m very thrilled to see that much of that is being exported to the United States of America and transported to various factories to produce very quality products, and that starts right here in Liberia. Thank you very much for that.”
During his visit, Zadrozny toured the factory floor, a maternity ward and clinic, and school classrooms from early childhood through secondary education, including the science laboratory. The U.S. envoy noted that what he observed reinforced his view that the investment was succeeding because it extended beyond the factory gate.
“It takes not just an investor, not just his workers, but the whole community working together. 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 just one of the many foreign envoys and ambassadors who have praised the impact of Jeety Rubber and its subsidiary. In February, Slovak Ambassador Martin Podstavek toured the companies, describing the companies’ investments as clear evidence of Liberia’s positive business climate and growing investment potential.
In March 2025, Indian Ambassador Manoj Bihari Verma visited the SRC facility, commending Sachdeva for enhancing its infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, and announced plans for undergraduate scholarships for Margibi County residents.
This recognition coincided with Sachdeva being honored by the Rubber Planters Association of Liberia (RPAL) and the Rubber Development Fund Incorporated (RDFI) for his significant contributions to the rubber sector, particularly in supporting smallholder farmers during a market disruption. At a ceremony, he was given the Liberian name “Kolleh,” meaning “a bright and good man.”
Throughout the crisis, Jeety Rubber continued purchasing rubber, providing vital support to farmers, and has offered interest-free loans to over 100 farmers since 2025 to aid in farm replanting and expansion.
In earlier remarks, Mr. Upjit Sachdeva, commonly known as Jeety noted that his long-term vision is to transform Liberia into a tire-producing country, noting that he has set his eyes on 2028 to produce the country’s first tires.
According to Jeety, the factory is currently producing five tons of processed rubber per hour, requiring between 200 to 225 tons of raw rubber daily to sustain operations. He noted that a major expansion project is underway to expand the factory’s production capacity to 550 tons per day.
“My target to complete the expansion is August, but I am keeping September open,” he explained, while also citing the ongoing Middle East conflict and disruptions in global shipping routes as additional concerns affecting operations and logistics.
Jeety used the occasion to issue 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 the 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,” Jeety said.
