ANSA McAL Limited is one of

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago, officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean, comprising the main islands of Trinidad and Tobago, along with several List of islands of Trinidad and Tobago, smaller i ...

's largest conglomerates, with several diversified companies in the

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and

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. It is traded on the

Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange The Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange (TTSE) is the main stock exchange in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and the largest stock exchange in the Caribbean region by market capitalization. As a member-state of CARICOM several companies fr ...

as AMCL.

Early history

In 1881, George R. Alston established Geo. R. Alston & Co, a company that specialized in buying and exporting of

cocoa Cocoa may refer to: Chocolate * Chocolate * ''Theobroma cacao'', the cocoa tree * Cocoa bean, seed of ''Theobroma cacao'' * Chocolate liquor, or cocoa liquor, pure, liquid chocolate extracted from the cocoa bean, including both cocoa butter and ...

. In 1890, Alston left Trinidad and Tobago and initiated a partnership deal with McGregor Frame (Frame Alston & Co). Frame Alston & Co then succeeded by Alston Arbuthnot & Co were the

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

agents of the Trinidad company until the death of Alston in 1918. In 1904, a saw mill and a lumber and hardware store was launched. During that period, Alston & co. advertised its locations in the

Port of Spain Port of Spain ( ; Trinidadian and Tobagonian English, Trinidadian English: ''Port ah Spain'' ) is the capital and chief port of Trinidad and Tobago. With a municipal population of 49,867 (2017), an urban population of 81,142 and a transient dail ...

and was an agent for seven companies. In 1914, the company Alston & co expanded its export and import business to also include

ship chandler A ship chandler is a retail dealer who specializes in providing supplies or equipment for ships. Synopsis For traditional sailing ships, items that could be found in a chandlery include sail-cloth, rosin, turpentine, tar, pitch, linseed oil ...

y, cargo handling and being an agent for steamships lines. During that year, steamships were still using coal to power the ships, Geo. R. Alston & Co acquired the Trinidad Coaling Company and supplied coal to companies that owned steamships. Alston & co between 1914 and 1920 handled exporting of cocoa and sugar from the

. In 1921, Geo. R. Alston & Co was incorporated as a

Limited liability company A limited liability company (LLC) is the United States-specific form of a private limited company. It is a business structure that can combine the pass-through taxation of a partnership or sole proprietorship with the limited liability of ...

(LLC) becoming Alston and Company Limited. Between 1926 and 1928 Roy Alston, Wilfred Alston and Gerald Wight were appointed Directors. Alston & Company by agreement in 1935 with C. Tennant Sons took over trading operations in San Fernando. On January 1, 1948, Alston & co-founded a sales agency department to give adequate facilities for the distribution of different manufactured goods produced by Alston & co-manufacturing subsidiaries. In that time Sir Erol dos Santos had just retired from colonial service of Trinidad and Tobago, and was invited to join the board of Alston & Co Limited. Erol Santos was at his time of service a financial secretary. In 1957, Alston & Co decided to withdraw from the wholesale provision business and to shut down then handover the electrical department to

General Electric company The General Electric Company (GEC) was a major British industrial conglomerate involved in consumer and Arms industry, defence electronics, communications, and engineering. It was originally founded in 1886 as G. Binswanger and Company as an e ...

. In 1959, ANSA Barbados was established. Early 1963 Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Limited (TATIL) was established at the

, handling fire, marine, motor and accident insurance. Five years later several companies were merged to become Alston Marketing Co. Limited (AMCO). The McEnearney Business Machines Limited was formed from the business machine department of Charles McEnearney & Co. Limited in which in 1969 a four takeover bid ended in the merger of Alston and McEnearney. In 1971, the shipping and travel departments of which were the last remaining trading subsidiaries of Alston Limited were changed into a wholly owned Limited liability company, Alston Shipping and Travels Limited.

Tatil Building

In 1972, construction began on the landmark Tatil Building in Port of Spain, which was completed in 1974. Tatil Building rises 12 floors above ground and is high. The building houses the Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Limited company. The total construction budget was TT$8.2 million. The building is owned by ANSA McAL.

Later history

In 1972, Alston & Co went ahead to acquire 66.9% of Trinidad's Publishing company, the publishers of

Trinidad Guardian The ''Trinidad and Tobago Guardian'' (together with the ''Sunday Guardian'') is the oldest daily newspaper in Trinidad and Tobago. The paper is considered the newspaper of record for Trinidad and Tobago. The slogan of the paper is ''The Guardia ...

. In 1975, Conrad O'Brien was appointed Chairman of Charles McEnearney & Co. Ltd and the following year acquired shares of minority shareholders in the company. Charles McEnearney & Co. Ltd changed its name to McEnearney ALstons Ltd (McAL) which consummated the union of both groups. After the merge, in 1977 McAL acquired controlling interest and shares in Penta Paints Caribbean Ltd and subsequently in 1978 acquired the entire shareholding of J.T. Allum's Supermarket. In 1980 the premises of the Trinidad Guardian were burnt down. In 1984, Trinidad Guardian resumed operations. In 1986, Angostura Ltd and ABL bid against McAL almost four months after a similar but unsuccessful bid was made by Jessel Securities Ltd. Angostura made an initial offer of $40 Million to McAL and acquired majority of the shares thereby turning McAL to ANSA McAL. In 1987, Anthony Norman Sabga was appointed Chairman of ANSA McAL. Classic Motors was formed in early 1992 to be a representative of

Honda commonly known as just Honda, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate automotive manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in October 1946 by Soichiro Honda, Honda has bee ...

. That same year, ANSA McAL (US) Inc was founded as a US corporation in Miami serving as the company's worldwide procurement and logistics provider. The Fleming ANSA Merchant bank was established in 1994. In 1998, ANSA McAL also bought the Trinidad Broadcasting Corporation. Anthony Norman Sabga handed over chairmanship of the company to A. Norman Sabga. In 2004, ANSA Finance and Merchant Bank bought TATIL and TATIL life from ANSA McAL for TT$667million and changed its name to ANSA Merchant Bank Ltd.

References

{{Reflist Conglomerate companies of Trinidad and Tobago Companies established in 1881