Clothing factory in Sri Lanka - Holcim Lanka Ltd

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Going green is not something we widely hear from the apparel industry. Can you tell us what it means to you? Dian Gomes: For us, “going green” means opportunity – the opportunity to rewrite industry standards, and bring the message of corporate environmental sustainability to the fore in Sri Lanka and the world. We have always been an ethical apparel manufacturer. We have invested heavily in uplifting the lives of our employees, and the communities that we operate in. We have focused on empowering our employees, especially women, who make up the majority of our workforce. Our exceptional standards and factory conditions, and our flagship program “Women Go Beyond,” has received industry plaudits. Making a difference is an element of our culture which is ingrained in the DNA of our employees. Our focus has been primarily on social sustainability of our business, and moving toward environmental sustainability is a natural progression. The current global environmental challenges demand a robust response from companies. We need to radically reassess all aspects of our business, and understand its impacts in order to minimize them. We need a new paradigm for the industry. What were the origins of MAS Intimates Thurulie? Partnership of two like-minded companies: Sir Stuart Rose (M&S) and Mahesh Amalean (MAS) at the opening of the new factory. Marks & Spencer approached us with their Plan A, inviting us to set up the first green factory under its umbrella. When I proposed this to Deshamanya Mahesh Amalean, Chairman of MAS Holdings, his support was wholehearted and immediate. He has always been a visionary chart- 74
ing our company’s direction years ahead. Our success was based on unconventional relationships we developed with our key customers and partners based on common values. This initiative fell right within that frame and synergized with our focused emphasis on sustainability. There were no benchmarks, no signposts along the way. It was a pioneering effort, without any blueprints to follow, but one which would impact the whole of Sri Lanka and beyond. A challenge, without a doubt, but it was a natural position for us to be in. To innovate and lead, to steer the industry in a whole new direction – that is something we have always excelled in. It was innovative and challenging, and it was tightly coupled with sustainability – a natural fit for MAS. Our customer relationships are always unconventional. We align ourselves with companies that share our values of social conscientiousness. Our relationship with Marks & Spencer broke new ground with the construction of Thurulie. To paraphrase Marks & Spencer CEO Sir Stuart Rose, it was really a partnership of two like-minded companies, M&S and MAS. The apparel industry is a fiercely competitive one, especially in countries like Sri Lanka. How do you build the business case for this, and especially the premium capital cost? Our role with our customers is not transactional, but based on relationships. This project marked a beginning – we as well as Marks & Spencer understand the end value that this brings to both our brands. The extra cost is partly offset by reductions on operational costs, and increased efficiency. The plant is specifically designed for MAS’s lean manufacturing standard, MOS. MOS’s primary focus is on the reduction of waste, including cost, whilst boosting efficiency. Thus, initial costs may have been high but we envision this to be offset in the future as the MOS system becomes full integrated. In a new business reality of shrinking margins and hyper-competition this would become a key leveraging and differentiating factor. Thurulie is an investment, and by changing industry standards and mindsets, it is already yielding dividends. 75
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Clothing factory in Sri Lanka MAS I
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MAS Intimates Thurulie Clothing fac
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Sustainable factory design is impor
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Intimates Thurulie enjoy an excepti
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Sustainable development and archite
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Ecological quality and energy conse
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Economic performance and compatibil
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MAS Fabric Park and MAS Intimates T
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Page 32: Site design The thrust of the site
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Page 42: Sustainable approach Both MAS Holdi
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Page 80 and 81: Design team Team leader: Vidhura Ra
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Page 86: Holcim (Lanka) Ltd 413 R.A.de Mel M
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Clothing factory in Sri Lanka - Holcim Lanka Ltd

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