IMCA to move house by year end

Heavy equipment dealer IMCA Jamaica will move into its newly developed home in Kingston by year end, country director Jose Sasso said this week.

But he’s not saying what’s to become of the company’s current operating base at 217 Spanish Town Road.

The dealer for Caterpillar’s CAT equipment and other brands says the new complex, on which the final touches are ongoing, represents an investment in “better infrastructure, technology and our human resources”. The US$8-million dealership and headquarters project is being financed and developed on the company’s behalf by Sygnus Real Estate Finance Limited.

IMCA is a Dominican Republic-owned company that entered Jamaica about 16 years ago and now primarily supplies equipment to the mining and quarrying, construction, industrial, agriculture, power generation and general manufacturing sectors. Alongside the Caterpillar dealership, the company’s portfolio has grown to include other heavy equipment brands, the most recent of which are Kalmar and SEM.

Sasso describes 2023 as a year of repositioning to meet growing demand, noting that the new complex at 443-445 Spanish Town Road, the construction of which he expects to be finalised by year end, is better designed to serve clients.

“We are investing in our rental fleet with earth-moving equipment, generators and industrial equipment. We are increasing our parts inventory as well. We have also added to our inventory of John Deere tractors to better serve the agriculture sector. In addition, we are expanding our repair options offering for critical components in the service department,” he said.

The investment in fleet upgrades was in the order of around US$2 million, Sasso said, but otherwise declined to comment on the company’s overall capex programme.

The new SEM line was launched in March. The brand is owned by Caterpillar Inc, an American company, but manufactured in China using Chinese components.

The company also recently introduced the Kalmar brand of products “targeting ports, terminal and distribution centres”, Sasso said.

IMCA’s main competitors for equipment are said to be the distributors of brands Kamatsu, JCB, Case, Shantui and XCMG. The main competing lubricants brands are Shell, Total, Amsoil, Chevron and Valvoline.

As the exclusive dealer for Caterpillar in this market, IMCA Jamaica “holds an inventory of over 15,000 new Caterpillar parts and operates a next-day service out of Miami for items not in stock,” said Sasso. Repair services include engine, transmission, hydraulic cylinder and undercarriage, line boring, electronic diagnostic services, and technical inspections.

The company also provides sales and service for the Caterpillar and Olympian brands of generators. Sasso said the company recently conducted a major project involving the supply and installation of a large generator at the Norman Manley International Airport, equipped with additional switchgear supplied by Caterpillar Intelligent Switchgear Organization.

For such projects: “IMCA Jamaica has access to technical support from IMCA Dominican Republic as well as from Caterpillar Inc,” he said.

avia.collinder@gleanerjm.com