BYD Auto has signed a sales and distribution agreement with Jamaica’s ATL Automotive Group covering 10 Caribbean countries.
ATL Automotive was established in 1997 as the authorised car distributor for Honda Motor in Jamaica and has since added the Volkswagen, Audi, Kia and BMW/Mini brands to its portfolio and currently employs 600 people.
It was described by BYD as an experienced vehicle distributor and the largest investor in Jamaica’s automotive sector since 2010.
The deal with BYD provides for ATL to take responsibility for sales and aftersales operations in Jamaica and assume a regional management role with responsibility for Trinidad and Tobago, Cayman, Curacao, Barbados, Aruba, Antigua, Saint Lucia, Guyana and Suriname.
The new deal involves establishing BYD showrooms across the region, starting with two outlets in Jamaica, in Kingston and Montego Bay. The Kingston outlet will also have an Experience Centre, showcasing upcoming models and technology.
BYD manager for Caribbean and Central American countries, Neva Zhang, said: “In the coming year, together with ATL, we will complete the construction of 10 showrooms."
ATL Automotive's executive chairman Adam Stewart said that after more than a year of discussions the company was "thrilled to finally sign on the dotted line”.
