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28 29 Outdoor Living We represent leading appliance brands from around the world Discover the most prestigious brands in our ATL Stores island-wide and online at www.atljamaica.com Technology with style Unique appliances, born of the collaboration with famous architects in the world. Products expressing the style “Made in Italy”, perfectly combining design, performance and attention to detail. Designed to endure Coyote Outdoor Living was conceived to bring a suite of products that create the outdoor kitchen of your dreams, combining solid construction with strong aesthetics and remarkable performance. Designed to endure, the Coyote grill will be the heart of the outdoor living space. Right Product. Right Place. Right Temperature. Since 1962. For over 5 decades and 3 generations, the ice making, refrigeration and freezers of U-Line continue to be known for innovation, quality, clean lines and understated elegance. but he has to have something.” “So,what we’re carrying nowis the Prizm line,which is a brand exclusivelymanufactured byATL,” Walker continues.“It has a long history in air conditioning,but we’re starting to flesh it out morewith respect to ranges, and bottle coolers,and indus- trial freezers and refrigerators. Theyaremanufactured to our specifications for the Jamaica market,specifically.The price point maybe lower but the warrantyandATLsupport is not compromised.” Tailoring products for the local market is another wayATLremains a leader in its field.Walker explains,“We use 50-cycle current in Jamaica,and sometimes the power sup- plyhere is not as consistent as it should be.And so, we have tomake sure that the construction of our freezers is far more robust than inNorthAmerica, where,if the power supplywas to deviate bya half a percent,there’d be a huge outcry.Here,we have blackouts,we have power spikes,power surges; so our appliances have to bemore resilient.And that’s what we’ve been focusing onwith the Prizm line.” That product specialization also applies to some of ATL’s imports.“We source pumps from Italyand we have some solar water heaters out of Greece, and again,these are products that have speci- fications that we try tomake sure that theyare aware of.In Jamaica,we have hardwater with high calciumcontent because of our limestone,which will corrode solar water heaters unless you have a APPLIANCE TRADERS LIMITED closed system.” Going forward,Walker says that com- panygoals include expanding its service deliveryand continuing to improve its product offerings–especially its alter- native brands.“Most of these Chinese factories are nowmaking some verygood products.We’re seeingmore diversifica- tion of newbrands that are just as good,” he states.“If youwant the high-end 4K SamsungTVyou can buy it; if youwant another brand that we can supply,you’ll be able to get it also.Alot of times people buy the high-end stuff but don’t use half their capabilities; theydon’t reallyneed it. Wherewe have to go in the future is to be able to offer the consumer what he truly needs.” Meanwhile,Walker also recognizes the shift in consumer behavior fromshopping in a store and payingwith cash,to buying onlinewith credit.“It’s not a brick-and- mortar world,anymore,”he observes.“Your competition is not the guydown the block fromyou; your competition is the ease of importing from the U.S.and shopping on- line.But,everyyear,it changesmore; every year you havemore peoplewith internet access.And youmaynot have internet ca- pabilities,but you have your smartphone. So,themoment Jamaica catches up in terms of payment options,then you’re going to see a shift inmerchandising.” For all intents and purposes,the compa- nywill be ready.After almost a half century in business,ATLknows howto survive and thrive. PREFERRED VENDOR n La Cuisine International www.lacuisineinternational.com La Cuisine International is a multinational Premium and Ultra-Premium kitchen appliances distribution group with commercial and technical support presence in more than 30 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. ApplianceTraders Limited (ATL) ManagingDirector DanvilleWalker