Vol 48, No.1 Spring/Summer 2012 - Finlays

News
Sri Lanka Update
Kumar Jayasuriya
Chairman
A good start to the year has
seen all business sectors
responding well to the
opportunities presented by a
buoyant Sri Lankan economy.
42 Spring/Summer ’12
The Beverage Packing business has
had a much needed boost to its
competitiveness thanks to the
devaluation of the Sri Lanka Rupee by
a whopping 18%, following the Central
Bank’s decision to float the currency.
This, together with other measures to
streamline processes and further expand
our product range, has resulted in the
division enjoying an excellent first
quarter. We were exhibitors at the
Prodexpo Exhibition held in Moscow in
February and at the Gulf Food Exhibition,
the premier food and beverage exhibition
in the Middle East, held in March. We are
pleased that contacts established with
potential buyers at both these fairs have
already translated to new business.
Occupancy levels in the Cold Store have
been satisfactory but have not reached
the levels we would like, especially in
our chillers, where we currently do not
accommodate mixed product storage.
The Services sector, led by Insurance and
Environmental Services, has once again
demonstrated that opportunities abound
in the growing Sri Lankan economy.
Our Pest Control business has penetrated
the Maldive Islands, undertaking termite
control work in a large hotel resort;
this has whetted our appetite to pursue
further openings in the archipelago.
A programme designed to eliminate
waste and obsolete inventory with the
aim of improving productivity, was
initiated in the Beverage Packing Division
in Welisara. This was well received by all
staff and resulted in the identification
and disposal of a number of
unserviceable and redundant items.
Out of the proceeds the Division
organised a well-attended health camp
for the families of the workforce.
The Timber Division and the Insurance
Broking Division both received their
ISO 9001:2008 certifications for
Quality Management Systems. Sterifirst
commenced a second shift to cope with
the increased inflow of medical waste,
a reflection of the potential in this
business. As we are fast outgrowing
the space available at Vauxhall Street,
plans are afoot to move the entire
Environmental Services business to a
purpose-built facility in an industrial
estate in the suburbs of Colombo.
We are pleased that Finlays Linehaul
Express won the ‘Outstanding Product
Award’ during the Sales and Marketing
Conference of the Lenton Group held
in Hong Kong, an achievement that
reflects the spirit of innovation within
the division.
Health and Safety has once again
received considerable attention, as have
our sustainability initiatives to measure
and reduce the consumption of water,
energy and waste and to reduce our
carbon footprint. Needless to say, these
are ongoing processes, now very much
embedded in our business outlook.
A batch of 64 employees from around
the Group from all levels participated
recently in a two-day Outward Bound
training programme, which proved to be
a great deal of fun while simultaneously
inculcating leadership mores. Thirteen of
our employees who have completed more
than 20 years’ service and six who have
completed 25 years, received long service
awards; we are inspired by their
dedication and service.
The Annual General Meeting of the
Company was held on 30 March with
110 shareholders in attendance.
Sri Lanka News
Long Service Awards
Long service award recipients (in foreground): S A S L Kumari, K H Chandrawathie, P A Vinitha, S I Devi,
W A P Sumanaseeli, H A Srimathie, A Kulatunga, K S Perera, W R C A Gunawardena, W M D K Padmendra,
R Pathirana, S Bandara, S Kumara, A D Jayasinghe, L G B de Silva, B W C Nishantha, S Premaratne,
N D M Wickremaratne, and R Alles line up with senior management staff (back rows): C Pietersz (Director),
N G Wickremeratne (Director), P R Henson (Finance Director James Finlay UK), J D Bandaranayake (Director),
C L K P Jayasuriya (Chairman), E R Croos Moraes (Director), R J Mathison (MD James Finlay UK),
C Jayaratne (Director), J L Caspersz (Director) and N K H Ratwatte (Director).
Warm Welcome in the Cold Store
On holiday in Sri Lanka earlier this
year Finlays Magazine editor Juliet
McCracken and her husband John were
warmly welcomed by Finlays staff, both
in Colombo and on the tea estates. After
an in-depth tour of the Cold Store with
Linex Award
manager Gihan Jayasinghe and
an introduction to the intricacies of
tea-bag manufacture at Welisara with
Errol Bernard and Romesh Croos Moraes,
Juliet and John visited Head Office in
Vauxhall for a meeting with Chairman
Kumar Jayasuriya, Joey Caspersz and
Magazine correspondent Ferdinand
Mithraka. Says Juliet: “It was wonderful
to be able to meet, at last, with people
who, I felt, after so many years of
editing Finlays Magazine, had long ago
become my friends”. Later, visiting the
tea country of Nuwara Eliya, Juliet and
John were shown around with equally
generous hospitality by Lasantha
Samarakoon, manager of award-winning
Courtlodge Estate.
Sudheera Senaratne, GM
Finlays Linehaul Express,
receiving the Outstanding
Product Award from
Ms. Morty Langslow, CEO
of the Lenton Group.
Volume 48/No.1 43