Montego Bay All the Way

Brian Bonitto, Special Assignment Editor

MONTEGO BAY - Jamaica's tourist capital - is known worldwide for its sun, sea and sand. However, Adam Stewart, son of hotel mogul, Gordon 'Butch' Stewart, has given that western Jamaica city a new personality with the recent opening of ATL Automotives Limited in Bogue City.

"Montego Bay is always given second thought, in relation to Kingston ... and not even a close second, but a far one," the deputy chairman of ATL Automotives Limited told Automotives in an interview. "But, it is my belief, that Montego Bay is more modern than Kingston, in many ways."

Stewart, who relocated to Montego Bay from Kingston seven years ago, said he has an affinity to the second city due to the fact that the Sandals hotel chain began operations in Montego Bay in 1981.

"The city has been good to us as a group. Our head office has been here since 1991. It's a fantastic city!" he said.

"So when it was time to set up the ATL Automotives, we said 'let's do it down here first'."

And, as they say, the rest is history.

Two Fridays ago, the 29-year-old, and his father, cut the ribbons to officially open the US$4.25m state-of-the-art sales and service facility. The Stewarts hold the dealership for the Audi, Range Rover, Land Rover, Jaguar, Volkwagen and Honda brands.

He said western-based clients would now be able to benefit from the company's strategic location.

"So, you don't have to drive all the way to Kingston to get your car serviced. I can't tell you how many people have called to say: Thank you for your show of confidence in Montego Bay," Stewart said.

The young entrepreneur said he was driven by his passion for cars and the fact that he wanted to set up a facility that was comparable with the best in the world.

"We wanted to open a First-World facility. And, this one is as good as money can buy," he said.

The sales and service centres occupy a 1/4-acre and 11/2-acre space respectively and employ a total of 38 well-trained staffers.

"All our technicians for our various brands are trained at level four, which is the highest level in the field," he said.

Stewart said ATL Automotives Limited possessed the latest high-tech equipment and boasted a 90 per cent pick rate.

"I can assure you that ninety per cent of the time when you come to our facility, we'll have the part on hand, whether it will be for body or engine work. So we hold a large stock of inventory," he said. "There is nothing else in Jamaica like this."

brian.bonitto@gleanerjm.com