Financial Times

The third Sri Lanka Ceramics Symposium, organised by the Sri Lanka Ceramics Council (affiliated to the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce) was held recently.

The symposium brought together academics and industry experts from leading universities and organisations from the USA, Germany, Italy, Portugal, China and Sri Lanka with industrialists eager to further the ceramics industry beyond the present norms.

The symposium provided a common platform of improving and developing the ceramics industry in Sri Lanka and exposing Sri Lanka to the technology and trends prevalent within the global industry, in a bid to create a competitive advantage in the global marketplace, the chamber said in a statement. President of the Sri Lanka Ceramics Council Dayasiri Warnakulasuriya said if Sri Lanka is to be competitive it is imperative that the local industry is aware of what’s happening around it globally to strategise for the future.

“And this is not only in the development of the product itself,” he said adding, “but also in shapes, performance, processes, energy, research and the advance uses of ceramics.

There is also a greater necessity for more inclusive interaction between the local and international community as well as academics and industrialists and this symposium aims to do just that, while expanding the level of knowledge within the industry.”

The Competitiveness Programme, which is a USAID funded project, has been assisting the Sri Lanka Ceramics Council in its competitive transformation, while also associating itself with this symposium.

Mission Director of USAID, Dr Carol Becker said, “We support this international event because industry professionals and experts will use this opportunity to share best practices and develop important linkages to enhance the competitiveness of the industry.” This was echoed by the keynote speaker, Lalith Kahatapitiya, Chairman of KIK Group of Companies who said, “Understanding the challenges we are facing and the ones we are yet to face, is crucial for the survival and the advancement of the ceramics industry. Our success or failure will depend on how we will react to these challenges. In this context, I believe that the Sri Lanka Ceramics Symposium 2006 is a vital event which will assist the participants to steer their industries to much greater heights.

I see this symposium as an event fulfilling a crucial need of the hour.”

The papers that were presented covered a vast area in the industry including the global trends in the Ceramics Industry - Challenges and Opportunities, Enabling Policy Environment for the Growth of the Ceramics Industry, Managing Energy Costs, and New Technologies Shaping the Ceramics Industry, Advanced Ceramics and a presentation of the scientific research conducted.