Haitian American Sugar Company facts for kids
| Private | |
| Founded | August 5, 1912 |
| Founder | Charles Steinheim John Christie Franck Corpay |
| Defunct | April 1987 |
| Headquarters | , |
|
Key people
|
Fritz Mevs, Sr |
| Products | Sugar |
The Haitian American Sugar Company, S.A. (HASCO) was a company from the United States. It aimed to make and sell sugar in Haiti and the United States. The company started on August 5, 1912. It was registered in Wilmington, Delaware, with five million dollars. Charles Steinheim, John A. Christie, and Franck Corpay founded it.
Challenges for HASCO
HASCO faced problems because of political unrest in Haiti. This happened in the years leading up to 1915. The safety of HASCO and other American businesses was at risk.
U.S. Involvement in Haiti
This danger was one reason for the U.S. Marine invasion of Haiti in 1915. The United States then occupied Haiti until 1934. This occupation helped protect American business interests.
Company Closure
In 1987, HASCO closed down. The company stated that sugar was being smuggled from the Dominican Republic. This smuggled sugar did not have a government tax.
Impact of Smuggling
Because of this, sugar made by HASCO became too expensive. It could not compete with the cheaper smuggled sugar. At the time it closed, HASCO was Haiti's second largest employer. It had 3,500 workers at its Port-au-Prince refinery. Also, 30,000 to 40,000 farmers grew cane for the company.
