Auto: Jamaica's New Car Dealers "Press START" on Rival Trading Group

-Jamaica Observer

DISSATISFIED with the lack of strong representation from new-car umbrella group Automotive Dealers' Association of Jamaica (ADA), several of the island's top players on Wednesday joined forces to officially launch the New Car Dealers' Association of Jamaica (NCDAJ).

The group — comprising KIG, Toyota Jamaica, ATL Automotive Group, and Tank-Weld, (through their Shacman trucks), which forms 65 per cent of the local market share — made the announcement at an official launch held at Toyota Jamaica's Old Hope Road state-of-the-art showroom, which will also house the newly formed entity.

Adam Stewart, CEO of ATL Automotive Group, lauded the game-changing move made by the competing dealers.

“Today is a great day! Today is proof that competitors can hold hands and walk down the aisle together and do what is right for the industry at large, not individually,” he told the audience. “What we do at this point will determine the success of the automotive industry.”

Stewart, who is also deputy chairman of Sandals Resorts International, highlighted the group's commonality.

“One of the things we agreed upon early is that the previous association was not advocating on behalf of the industry in a powerful manner that was representative of how fast the auto industry was evolving,” he said.

NCDAJ chairman John Ralston said the organisation intends to expand its membership in short order.

In addition to Stewart, the NCDAJ founding members are: Tom Connor, managing director of Toyota Jamaica; Jeffrey Panton, managing director of Kingston Industrial Garage; and Mike Ellenthorpe, managing director of ATL Automotive Group.

Wayne Cummings, NCDAJ deputy chairman, made the case that Jamaica, and ultimately the consumer, will benefit from the formation of the association.

“We're a very competitive bunch of business people, but we have a singular mission. When we meet, we want to talk about what is good for the country and the industry. We want to look at the emissions the automotive trade puts on the country. Jamaica is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and so, as cars evolve and technology evolves, so is the emission that they're putting out; and on the new car side, we can show and prove we're going in that direction,” he said.

Cummings said the newly formed entity wants to add its voice in the arena of vehicle and road safety.

Formed in 1960s, the ADA is headed by Kent LaCroix.