Business

Business

Ceramic industry in bid to save energy
Ceramic factories have launched a programme to save energy, which accounts for 20-30 percent of the total cost of production, in an effort to remain competitive in the face of growing competition from Asian rivals.

Energy is an integral part of ceramic production as it has several firings involved, unlike many other manufacturing processes, said L.S.G. Tillekeratne, Director-General of the Export Development Board (EDB).

Energy efficiency is considered an important concept in the ceramic sector at present, he told a seminar organised by the EDB in collaboration with The Competitiveness Initiative, a project of USAID, and the Ceramic Cluster.

The EDB has taken up the ceramic sector for priority promotion considering the high value addition, employment generation and the availability of local raw materials.

K.K.K. Wijesundera, CEO of Dankotuwa Porcelain and a member of the Ceramic Cluster, said that when the competition came from countries such as France and Germany in the past, Sri Lanka enjoyed the advantage of low cost.

"The situation is different now and we have to compete with our neighbouring countries, which have acquired modern technology," he said. "They are cost-competitive and well- organised. Our main competitors at present are China, Thailand and Indonesia."

Compared with the status of the industry in these countries, Sri Lanka has a long way to go, Wijesundera said.

"We have to identify new strategies since our cost is very high and productivity is comparatively low," he added. "We have to move in the right direction to project Sri Lanka's image as a major ceramic producer."

The seminar was held mainly to disseminate findings of the research carried out by the Centre for Energy Studies, University of Moratuwa and the Ceramic Cluster.

The research conducted between December 2001-April 2002 covered eight ceramic factories and the findings helped save energy consumption in the areas of electricity, oil and gas.

These companies have systematic work plans but lack regular energy management plans, the EDB said in a statement. It is essential that factories maintain energy data to carry out regular analysis in detail, it said.

HSBC launches electronic documentary credit advising
HSBC, which installed Sri Lanka's first ATM machine in 1986 and introduced the country to electronic online banking through its Hexagon system in 1991, has now launched Electronic Documentary Credit Advising (EDCA)
It is the latest pioneering banking service in HSBC's long history of 110 years in Sri Lanka. EDCA is a quick and easy way for exporters to receive copies of export Documentary Credits in their favour direct to their office by e-mail or fax. When an export DC is received by HSBC via the SWIFT network and recorded in its banking system, an automatic e-mail (or fax) will be generated to the beneficiary of the DC attaching a copy of the full text of the DC or amendment.

This is the first time a service of this nature has been offered to exporters in Sri Lanka.

When asked what other benefits the service affords the customer, Shajeev Wanigasekara, HSBC's Manager Trade Services said that in addition to efficiency, speed and convenience, EDCA also provides flexibility. The recipient of the e-mail can forward it direct to their factories out of Colombo, make copies of attachments or even 'copy and paste' extracts of the text to facilitate the preparation of export documents.

India Desk at Ceylon Chamber
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce plans to set up a fully-fledged 'India Desk' to handle issues with India, particularly those relating to the free trade deal.
Chamber chairman Chandra Jayaratne said the two countries had a close rapport with each other.

The CCC had supported the Free Trade Agreement between Sri Lanka and India from the inception, he said.

The CCC's association with the Confederation of Indian Industry would shortly result in an India Desk being set up at the chamber.

"We want to promote the free trade agreement in a bigger way," said a chamber official. "We're going to dedicate one official to handle issues with India. The aim is to help the trade sort out problems they may have in dealing with India and give them contacts with authorities there."

Jayaratne's comments came in a statement on the first visit here by a 10-member Multi Product Delegation from the Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) of India recently.

The EEPC is the nodal agency set up under the Indian Ministry of Commerce to promote export of engineering goods, projects, management and technical consultancy services.

"India is our partner and alliance in the world of trade, investment and technology transfers," Jayaratne said during the meeting with the EEPC team.

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has been pressing the government to align the island's thinking on key issues with that of India to facilitate trade, he said.

EEPC members were mainly interested in looking for suitable partners for their products which varied from machinery, agricultural implements, pipe fittings to air conditioners.

APB banking convention
The Association of Professional Bankers (APB) will hold its three-day annual convention on August 16 at the Ceylon Continental hotel, Colombo under the theme "Banking in Transition - Issues and Challenges."

The inaugural speech at this year's convention will be delivered by Minister of Science, Technology and Economic Reforms Milinda Moragoda while Central Bank governor A.S. Jayawardena will deliver the governor's address.

Another event connected with the convention is the publication of a book consisting of articles from well-known authors on topics relating to the theme of the meeting.

CIM Sri Lanka annual convention on branding
CIMA Sri Lanka Division and SLTnet, Sri Lanka Telecom's ISP arm, are conducting a series of seminars on Internet and its benefits for school children.

The first seminar under the theme of 'Web Spinners Unite" was held at Queen's Hotel, Kandy recently with students of 10 schools in Kandy and the suburbs attending.

Gihan Wanigasekara, Senior Lecture of the Post-graduate Institute of Management (PIM), Sri Jayawardenepura University, was the main resource person at the seminar.

Internet basics to various other aspects of Internet such as eCommerce, eLearning, Career Guidance on Internet, the New Economy, Payment and Security, Web Design for eCommerce and Internet Marketing Basics were discussed at the seminar. Sudharshan Senaratne, President of CIMA Sri Lanka Division and Shuhei Anan, CEO, SLT also addressed the gathering.
CIMA Sri Lanka Division and SLTnet want to expand this seminar series to various parts of the island including Colombo depending on requests made by schools.

Ceylinco Life produces country's first agency management qualifiers
Twenty-one Senior Regional Sales Managers and Business Development Managers of Ceylinco Life, recently completed the Agency Management Training Course (AMTC) conducted by the Life Insurance Marketing and Research Association (LIMRA), USA.

"Completing the AMTC provides managers with insights and guidelines for managing and motivating a sales force, which is the key to their success in the insurance industry," Ceylinco Life Director/General Manager R. Renganathan said in a statement.

This group, the first batch to receive the AMTC certificate in Sri Lanka, has now qualified to follow the next stage and finally obtain the prestigious international "Chartered Insurance Agency Manager" (CIAM) designation. Ceylinco Life is also the only insurer in Sri Lanka to have personnel certified by the Life Underwriter Training Council of USA (LUTC). Of the 66 LUTC diploma holders in life insurance marketing in the company, 44 have been admitted as Fellows of the LUTC, USA.

Back to Business