Automotive Art operates across more than 24 countries

Automotive Art is the Caribbean’s largest auto-care retailer and a global supplier of refinishing systems, aftermarket products, and automotive services. Headquartered in Barbados, the company operates across more than 24 countries and supports a network of 15 franchise stores in nine Caribbean territories.

Founded in 1990 by partners Dereck Foster and Hugh Blades, Automotive Art emerged at a pivotal moment in the regional refinish market. New polyurethane and two-stage coating technologies were transforming global automotive refinishing, and the founders recognized that the Caribbean needed a company with the vision—and the courage—to bring that innovation home. They invested everything to make it happen.

Harris Paints soon joined as an equity partner, offering both resources and reach. With their support and with the exclusive regional distribution of BASF’s Glasurit line, Automotive Art helped modernize body shops across the Caribbean, setting new standards in performance and reliability. From there, the company expanded into its own value-driven private-label paints—now manufactured in Poland and distributed in over 65 countries.

As demand grew, so did the business model. Automotive Art broadened into complementary categories such as sandpaper, spray equipment, wheels, accessories, chemicals, additives, waxes, and polishes. The acquisition of Barbados Tyre Centre in 1998 cemented the company as the island’s leading aftermarket provider and strengthened its position across multiple automotive verticals.

Franchising followed naturally. Regional partners who saw the brand’s success in Barbados began seeking a turnkey aftermarket solution for their own markets. Today, 15 franchise locations carry the Automotive Art name across the Caribbean.

In recent years, the momentum has accelerated. The company’s U.S. distribution hub in Miami continues to serve the Americas, while the 2012 joint venture with Multichem in Poznań, Poland, gave Automotive Art full vertical integration—unifying R&D, manufacturing, distribution, and retail under one global vision.