Location: Camuy
Date Established: 1938
Date Ceased Operations: 1970
Annual Production Graph
Average Annual Production: 13,612 Tons
Best Production Year: 1952/18,787 Tons
Family Ownership: Gonzalez, Marqués

Central Riollano was established on the site of the old Central Camuy that operated for only one year between 1912 and 1913. Since both were in the same location, a brief history of Central Camuy is in order.  The Louisiana Planter and Sugar Manufacturer in its edition of July 30, 1910 reports that "The Camuy Sugar Co. lately established and now erecting its central, expects to be able to put 30,000 sacks of sugar on the market for the 1911-1912 campaign, first grinding being scheduled for December 1911.  The establishment of the Camuy Sugar Company's central, with the Central Alianza of Camuy, will give the total of three centrals operating in Camuy, the third being the Sóller Sugar Company."  

The July 2, 1910 edition states that "The Camuy central about which mentions has also been made in these columns has been incorporated under the firm name of the Camuy Sugar Co., with a subscribed capital of $200,000.  This factory will have a crop capacity of 730,000 quintals of cane which it has secured from colonos and its own private plantations.  The necessary machinery has been ordered from the States, and it is believed that the central will be ready to grind the 1911 crop. The factory will be erected on site in front of the Camuy RR Station, and a branch of the railroad will run through the grounds of the central facilitating the transportation of its crops.  The Board of Directors consists of Messrs. (Eduardo) Georgetti, (José) Ruiz Soler, (Pedro G.) Amador, (José) Machado, (Antonio) Rodriguez and Alvarez." 

The edition of  June 8, 1912 includes an article where they presented their readers with "this new Central sugar factory in PR".  It states in the article it is the most modern factory on the island and this the first year of its grinding.  Its Board of Directors consisted of Eduardo Georgetti, President; José Machado, Vice President; José Ruiz Soler, Secretary and Pedro G. Amador, Treasurer.  This article does not include Alvarez as Director but includes Manuel Reyes Ruiz instead.  The edition of November 4, 1911 states that it is a complete new factory referring to its all brand new equipment and machinery.  

However, it is well known that shareholders of the Camuy Sugar Co. were mainly members of the Amador family as among the directors were; Pedro G. Amador, Vicente Amador, Carmelo Amador and José Amador.  In 1913, it closed down, was dismantled and sold for $150,000 to a group in Venezuela headed by Ignacio Andrade former president of Venezuela.  The Louisiana Planter ad Sugar Manufacturer in its edition of December 6, 1913 reported that Luis Soler, in representation of Central Camuy's interests, closed on the sale due to financial difficulties.  In its edition of December 1, 1917 it reports that the recently erected Central La Ceiba in Maracaibo was the transplant of Central Camuy in Puerto Rico.​

Andrés Barceló Barceló (1898-1975) was a Spanish immigrant from Mallorca who arrived in PR on October 28, 1907.  In 1917 he worked at the store of his uncle, Spanish immigrant from Porreres, Mallorca Miguel Barceló Xamena (1876- ).  After marrying his cousin Maria Barceló Gomila (1898-1983) in Arecibo on March 22, 1924, Andrés relocated to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic where their second child Ana Maria was born on April 17,1928.  Ana Maria later married Guillermo Rodriguez Santos whose family owned the well known food wholesaler firm F. Carrera & Hno. in Mayagüez.

It is reasonable to believe that Andrés left for the Dominican Republic due to the Prohibition.  In Santo Domingo, he established a liquor distribution partnership called Romañat & Barceló S en C.  On January 12,1929 his brother Julián arrived in the Dominican Republic from Mallorca and in 1930 the two brothers established Barceló & Cia., a rum distilling operation.  Within a year of establishing the business, on September 3, 1930 Hurricane Zenón made landfall in Santo Domingo destroying everything on its path, including the facilities of Barceló & Cia. which layed in ruins.  It was then that Julián decided to stay and rebuild the business which today is Ron Barceló and Andrés decided to return to Puerto Rico.

It is unclear what were Andrés' business interests were between 1930 when he arrived back in Puerto Rico and 1936 when he partnered with Antonio Marqués Arbona and established Barceló Marqués & Cia. to produce Palo Viejo Rum.

Central Riollano was owned by Cia. Azucarera del Camuy, Inc. and was the initiative of Juan Antonio Gonzalez and Spanish immigrant from Sóller Antonio Marqués Arbona (1881-1959), it was the last sugar mill established on the island.  Neither the sugar mill nor its owners owned any land used to grow sugarcane to be processed in the mill, therefore the sugarcane it processed was grown 100% by independent growers or "colonos".  In 1938 Cia. Azucarera del Camuy, Inc. filed the Eversweet granulated sugar brand with the US Patent Office.  Eversweet brand sugar was produced for the local market by the Riollano Refinery Co. which was built in 1940 adjacent to the sugar mill and operated until 1970.

Just as it was the case with Central Mercedita that produced molasses used by Destileria Serrallés in the distilling of Don Q Rum, Central Riollano was a good example of the link between the sugar and rum industries in Puerto Rico.  Although molsasses used in the production of Palo Viejo Rum were originally produced by Central Sóller which was also owned by Antonio Marqués Arbona, molasses produced at Central Riollano were sold to Barceló Marqués & Cia. to be used in the distilling of Imperio, Riondo and the better known Palo Viejo Rums.

The distillery was adjacent to the sugar mill; the smoke stack pictured in the background is not of the sugar mill but of the distillery.  Also included are pictures of what used to be the distillery, the name can be read to the left of the entrance gate.  Palo Viejo is still sold in Puerto Rico and the US, it is now distilled by Destilería Serrallés.  After its closure, in 1974 Central Riollano was dismantled and its machinery sold in Honduras where it was installed at Ingenio Rio Lindo of the Sociedad Azucarera Yojoa, S.A. de C.V. (AYSA).