BUSINESS MONDAY: Major conference for C’bean Automobile Dealers

Automobile dealers from across the Caribbean last week Thursday concluded a major conference in Barbados hosted by Courtesy Garage and ZNA ( Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile Company) of China.

Executives of Courtesy Garage, agents for Nissan and ZNA vehicles in the region, brought regional dealers up to speed on a range of new vehicles that have been generating interest in the Caribbean market and also provided information on operating standards, technological improvements and access to spare parts.

Drawn from St. Lucia, Jamaica, St. Vincent , St.Kitts & Nevis and host country Barbados, the regional dealers, all agents for Nissan vehicles in their territories, were also joined by ZNA’s Regional Manager for Latin America, Ivy Liying, on her first promotional trip to the Caribbean.

According to Courtesy’s Regional Product Manager, Sam Gaston, the conference at the Courtyard Marriott, was the first in the region in partnership with ZNA and was successful in providing information on a range of vehicles – including the MX5 sports utility vehicle and the RICH-Pick-up which is similar to the Nissan Frontier.

“It was an opportunity to promote the ZNA brand to regional dealers and also allowed them to become familiar with the vehicles. Apart from the conference sessions there were also test drives on the MX-5 and the Rich pick-up,” said Gaston.

Several ZNA vehicles, mainly the work-horse RICH pick-up, are already in operation in various islands across the Caribbean and Gregory Webster, Managing Director of Fidelity Motors in Jamaica reported that the
future appeared bright for ZNA right-hand-drive vehicles in Kingston.

“ZNA is a good product and parts are not an issue,” he stated.

China-based Ivy Liying, who has responsibility for ZNA in the Latin American region, said ZNA vehicles are exported to 50 countries and the conference in Barbados allowed her to meet and work with partners and understand their needs.

Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile Co. (ZNA) is a leading manufacturer of vehicles in China and was established in 1993 as a 50/50 joint venture between the Chinese DongFeng Motor Group and Japanese Nissan Motor Company. It is also
regarded as the largest investment project outside of Japan for Nissan worldwide.