Overview

In 2001, the Neal and Massy Group engaged in a comprehensive restructuring exercise of its Information Technology and Communications components in Antigua, Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Envisioned to improve customer responsiveness, capitalise on economies of scale and augment shareholder value, this move resulted in the cessation of operations of CCS in Barbados, Cayman and Jamaica, the Office Centre Limited in Antigua, and Borde Communications, CCS Technology and Management Information Systems in Trinidad and Tobago in favour of the formation of a new company with streamlined operations, enhanced customer service and the value-added benefit of being a 'one-stop' IT and communications shop.

Born was ILLUMINAT, a new company with a name reflective of exceptional knowledge and enlightenment, and the rapid convergence of the Information and Communications Industries. Our organisational strength, expertise, resources and regional coverage are derived through the synergy created by the merge, and the recognition that the whole, 'ILLUMINAT' is now greater that the sum of the parts.

Antigua

In November 1974, Neal and Massy Holdings Limited entered into a joint venture agreement with S.R. Mendes Limited of Antigua to establish Copy Services Limited. Essentially a vendor of office supplies and equipment, CSL was owned 60% Neal and Massy and 40% S. R. Mendes.

Eleven years later, Caribbean Computer Systems Limited, a Neal and Massy company, bought over Mendes' shares making the company a wholly owned subsidiary of Neal and Massy Holdings. This move facilitated the transfer of CCS' NCR operations to CSL. It was not until September 1991 that CSL was rebranded as CCS (Antigua) Limited to assume the operations of its predecessor and further strengthen the CCS presence in the Eastern Caribbean islands.

The company went through yet another transition in 1997 when it was renamed the Office Centre Limited - a decision taken to better represent the company's focus as an office equipment supplier as opposed to a reseller of computer systems for which the CCS name was better known.

CCS Antigua was eventually renamed ILLUMINAT (Antigua) Limited following the merger of Neal and Massy's Information Technology and Communications subsidiaries in the Caribbean in 2001.

Barbados

The Neal and Massy Group first entered the Information Technology arena in Barbados in April 1980 with its acquisition of the operations of R. J. Shannon and Company Limited and its NCR line of equipment. For the next twenty odd years the company operated as CCS Information Technology Limited.

Originally situated at Eagle Hall, St Michael, CCS' operations were relocated to Whitepark Road, thence to Bolton Lane, Bridgetown, before re-establishing itself at Whitepark Road in 1994.

The company was subsequently rebranded ILLUMINAT (Barbados) Limited in October 2001 when Neal and Massy merged its Information Technology and Communications interests in the Caribbean.

Jamaica

In 1993, T. Geddes Grant (Jamaica) Limited - a subsidiary of the Neal and Massy Group (Jamaica) Limited - acquired NCR Jamaica Limited, then subsidiary of US-based transaction technology company the NCR Corporation. Formerly the National Cash Register Company (Jamaica) Limited, NCR Jamaica was incorporated on September 25 1956.

The acquisition was part of a strategic Neal and Massy move to merge NCR with a number of other Geddes Grant subsidiaries in related fields, namely: T. Geddes Grant Equipment, Stationery and Furniture Division; Island Microsystems Limited (a computer sales and service company); and Firgos Converters Limited (a printing company). The result was the formation of a new company, CCS (Jamaica) Limited.

The company underwent another major change in 1996, when a shareholders' agreement between Neal and Massy Group (Jamaica) Limited and CCS' Management Team resulted in the total divestment of Neal and Massy's shareholding in CCS (Jamaica) Limited to the latter.

In September 2000, the Neal and Massy ITC Group Limited reclaimed 100% of the CCS shareholding and subsequently changed its name to ILLUMINAT (Jamaica) Limited in December 2000.

Trinidad and Tobago

ILLUMINAT (Trinidad and Tobago) Limited was formed in 2001 with the merger of Neal and Massy Group subsidiaries Borde Communications, CCS Technologies and the MIS Division of Nealco Information Systems Limited.

Borde Communications pioneered radio communication in Trinidad and Tobago in 1957 and was one of the leading privately-owned telecommunications companies locally and regionally. Originally operated as Edgar H. Borde Limited, the company's main operations were at Sackville Street, Port of Spain. In 1975, the Neal & Massy Group acquired the business and in 1980, the head office was relocated from Sackville Street to Valsayn Road, Curepe.

CCS Technologies was established in April 1980 as a result of the acquisition of R. J. Shannon and Company Limited. The Company quickly became a leader in the supply of computer and office equipment in Trinidad and Tobago. In subsequent years, Xerographic Communication Company Limited (a Xerox office equipment vendor) and Grell-Taurel's Office Furniture and Stationery Divisions were amalgamated into the CCS operations. The Company eventually divested its stationery business division in 1999.

Nealco's MIS Division began life as the internal Information Technology service organisation to the Neal and Massy Group in 1974, supporting over 40 subsidiary companies. The organisation eventually provided Information Technology for non-group companies in the areas of software systems design, development and general consultancy, and extended its activities to become the first ORACLE distributor in the region.

The eventual integration of these companies emerged out of a tactical decision of the Neal and Massy Group to deepen its regional presence through the re-branding of its Caribbean Information Technology and Communications components under one umbrella…ILLUMINAT. In all territories, ILLUMINAT reports to the ITC (Information Technology Company) Division of the Neal and Massy Group of Companies.