With its doors open for business and its logistical problems settled, the next big challenge facing the business was building the Grease Monkey brand in Colombia. Thankfully, one of the largest oil companies in the world has local ties in the country, and Grease Monkey Colombia was able to secure a lubricant supply contract. For one thing, a supply chain for the shop had to be created without the help of an existing network. Employees in Colombia are eager to learn, and excited to be part of an innovative, customer-focused business.Īs can be expected when dealing with an American business model being transplanted to a different country and culture, establishing Grease Monkey Colombia was not without its hurdles. To that end, the facility includes a training center where new employees can learn the ropes and continue to update their skills and knowledge as time goes on. Since the oil and lube industry is, in many ways, still in its infancy in Medellín, the overhead doors, pumps and lube guns all had to be imported into Colombia from the U.S.Īs one of the first of its kind in the country, finding and training qualified employees is essential to the Medellín Grease Monkey’s ongoing success. The garage portion of the shop features the same cutting-edge equipment and layout as Grease Monkeys in the States. Especially with the expanding market share of Colombian women in recent years, the clean, pleasant interior space adds an extra incentive to keep customers coming back. For customers who consider their vehicles multi-decade investments, the spotless, state-of-the-art facility gives them the confidence their car is being well taken care of. The floor and pits are painted with a light gray epoxy, and the entire facility is kept as clean as an operating room. Some patrons have even mistaken the establishment for a restaurant or donut shop. With its brick façade following the pattern of Grease Monkeys in the U.S., the store stands out against the traditional Colombian architecture. The differences started with the building itself. Realizing a new business model was needed to meet the needs of the modern Colombian consumer, Saldarriaga turned to Grease Monkey.įrom the beginning, Saldarriaga determined his Grease Monkey location in Medellín would be unlike any other auto service shop in the city. company that represents Grease Monkey Colombia, could sense the winds of change blowing in Colombia. With 30 years of experience in the oil, lube and auto service industries, Saldarriaga, and the American Franchises S.A.S. One of these entrepreneurs is the owner of Colombia’s first Grease Monkey shop - Juan Luis Saldarriaga. These changes have created a market ripe with opportunity for entrepreneurs willing to rise to the occasion. The female market share, especially, has expanded dramatically. This new, prosperous chapter in the city’s history has shifted the demographics of auto service consumers. It is now a vibrant and thriving Latin American city with the drug violence and guerilla warfare that plagued its past now fading from memory. Once dubbed the “most dangerous city in the world,” Medellín has undergone a renaissance in recent years. Colombian society, however, has undergone substantial upheaval and advancement during that same time. In fact, the automotive maintenance industry has seen virtually no change for at least the last 20 years. Small, independent shops still handle most automotive servicing and maintenance in the country. The quick lube business model is a somewhat novel concept in Colombia. That means Colombians take their auto maintenance very seriously. The average lifespan of a car in Colombia is around 20 years, compared to about 11 years in the U.S. In addition, people tend to keep their vehicles for much longer periods of time than is typical in the United States. In Colombia, as in much of South America, cars are considered serious investments, second only to purchasing houses. With a population of nearly 2.5 million, Medellín is the second largest city in Colombia, making it an ideal location to pioneer a new automotive service business. With locations already in Mexico, China and Saudi Arabia, the company was looking to expand into South America - opening its first store in Medellín, Colombia, on November 1, 2016. Grease Monkey is a Denver, Colorado-based quick lube chain, but has been looking to expand its market share internationally. Growing companies are usually seen as successful ones, and innovative companies often think outside their “borders” to achieve this growth.
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