Business

Swisstek Aluminium awarded landmark eco-friendly certification

Published

5 years ago

2022/03/1

Swisstek Aluminium's Quality Assurance Manager, Daham Vidanagama and Manger - Market Development, Gihan De Silva receiving the award from the representatives of Green Building Council of Sri Lanka.

In a victory for both Sri Lanka’s environment as well as its corporate sector landscape, Swisstek Aluminium was recently awarded the GREENSL® Certification by the Green Building Council of Sri Lanka (GBCSL), marking the assurance that sustainability is at the heart of manufacturing its entire range of aluminium extrusion products.

The GBCSL takes the process from extraction of raw materials to the end of the product’s useful life into consideration when certifying companies under this standard, ensuring that only brands with the highest commitment to sustainable practises are recognised accordingly. In this regard, Swisstek Aluminium has also been taking several steps towards achieving more sustainable operations and setting industry standards; for instance, it completed a major solar panel installation at its primary factory last year, severely downsizing its carbon footprint.

Commenting on the company’s achievement, Swisstek Aluminium Chief Executive Officer Tharindu Atapattu stated, “Swisstek Aluminium appreciates that our efforts to make our operations more eco-friendly have been recognised at the national level – it is undoubtedly an honour. But at the same time, in the spirit of our business, we do not plan to stop here. Swisstek Aluminium will continue looking into ways to further ensure that Sri Lanka’s natural resources are preserved well into the future, and dispel the illusion that industry is tied to pollution. Our company has always maintained environmental friendliness as part of our greater vision, and we will continue to do so as we forge ahead.”

In addition to being a viable replacement for limited resources like wood that are used in buildings and furnishings, aluminium’s value as a sustainable product comes from how easily it can be recycled and repurposed once it has reached the end of its use – due to this, close to three-quarters of all the aluminium ever produced is still in use today.

In a country like Sri Lanka – which lost around 13.2% of its total forest cover between 2017 and 2019, and is still seeing further deforestation – such alternatives will play a vital role in ensuring that our national development does not come at the cost of our natural heritage. This ideal forms part of the foundation beneath Swisstek Aluminium, which seeks to maintain eco-friendly processes at all stages of its activities while steadily expanding within the industry, both locally and abroad.

Swisstek Aluminium Ltd., established in 2009, is a subsidiary of Lanka Walltiles PLC which comes under the reputed Vallibel One PLC Group. It has established itself as the leading environmentally-friendly manufacturer of anodised, powder-coated, and mill-finished aluminium extrusions in Sri Lanka, with a reputation for high-quality products, innovation, and commitment to excellence.

The company became the first aluminium manufacturer in Sri Lanka to receive the QUALICOAT – Sea Side Certification for Powder Coated Aluminium. It is also certified under ISO 9001:2015/SLS 1410:2011, and most recently, the GREENSL® Certification by the Green Building Council of Sri Lanka. Swisstek Aluminium has proved its quality and reliability in many industries, such as Hospitals, Apartments, Supermarkets, and Hotels, etc. representing both the public and private sectors of Sri Lanka, in addition to international clients.

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Business

ADB approves $100 million loan to boost skills development and jobs for youth in Sri Lanka

Published

7 hours ago

2026/10/2

Thilina Walpola

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $100 million results-based loan to help Sri Lanka transform its technical and vocational education and training (TVET) system, equip more young people with industry-relevant skills, and strengthen the country’s competitiveness and inclusive growth.

The Skills Development System Transformation Program will support the Government of Sri Lanka’s efforts in improving the quality and relevance of skills training, strengthening links between training providers and industries, and expanding employment opportunities for youth. The program will increase women’s employment opportunities in nontraditional jobs in fields including automotive technology, engineering, information and communications technology, construction, and renewable energy.

“A skilled workforce is essential to Sri Lanka’s long-term economic transformation and competitiveness,” said ADB Country Director for Sri Lanka Shannon Cowlin. “This program will help create stronger pathways from education to employment by making training more responsive to industry needs, expanding opportunities for young people and women, and ensuring that graduates have the skills required by a modern and evolving economy.”

Though Sri Lanka’s economy is recovering, it faces skills shortages in priority sectors, high youth unemployment, and low female labor force participation. Many employers report difficulty finding workers with the skills needed in a changing economy.

Aligned with the Government of Sri Lanka’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training Sector Strategic Framework 2026–2035, the nationwide program will be implemented from 2027 to 2031 and is expected to directly benefit more than 100,000 young people through improved access to quality, employment-oriented training.

Business

USD 40.84m pipeline to secure aviation fuel supplies to BIA

Published

8 hours ago

2026/10/2

Thilina Walpola

By Ifham Nizam

The government has cleared a USD 40.84 million and Rs. 8,548.75 million contract to build a dedicated aviation fuel pipeline from Muthurajawela to Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), alongside a massive new fuel storage facility with a capacity of 92,000 cubic metres.

Energy Minister Anura Karunatilaka said the project represented a major investment in strengthening the infrastructure underpinning Sri Lanka’s aviation fuel supply and ensuring more reliable fuel availability at the country’s main international airport.

‘This project will provide the infrastructure required to strengthen the reliability and continuity of aviation fuel supplies to Bandaranaike International Airport, Karunatilaka said.

The contract has been awarded to China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Company Limited, following an international competitive procurement process in which three bids were received.

The project will see a new aviation fuel storage tank complex constructed at Muthurajawela, together with the associated infrastructure required for handling and transferring aviation fuel.

Business

CSE activity up, turnover weak at Rs. 1.4 billion

Published

8 hours ago

2026/10/2

Thilina Walpola

By Hiran H Senewiratne

Trading activity on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) gathered pace yesterday as global fuel prices began to show signs of easing, according to market analysts.In this context, both indices moved upwards. All Share Price Index up by 67.97 points while S and P SL20 up by 8.30 points.

Turnover stood at Rs 1.4 billion with seven crossings. Those crossings were reported in Sampath Bank 1.7 million shares crossed to the tune of Rs 238 million and its share price traded at Rs 140, Access Engineering two million shares crossed to the tune of Rs 159 million and its share price traded at Rs 79.50, LOLC one million shares crossed to the tune of Rs 129 million and its share price traded at Rs 129, HNB 100,000 shares crossed to the tune of Rs 38.4 million and its share price traded at Rs 384, JKH 1.9 million shares crossed to the tune of Rs 35 million and its share price traded at Rs 18.60, Hayleys 100,000 shares crossed to the tune of Rs 22.50 million and its share price traded at Rs 225 and Richard Pieris 847,000 shares crossed to the tune of Rs 22 million and its share price traded at Rs 25.50.

In the retail market top seven companies that have mainly contributed to the turnover were Sampath Bank Rs 114 million (813,000 shares traded), JKH Rs 100 million (5.3 million shares traded) LB Finance Rs 49 million (325,000 shares traded), HNB Finance Rs 30 million (27 million shares traded), HNB Rs 27 million (70000 shares traded), NTB Rs 25 million (82000 shares traded ) and Lanka IOC Rs 21 million (666,000 shares traded). During the day 65 million shares volumes changed hands in 10433 transactions.

The Banking and manufacturing sector counters performed well. In the banking sector Sampath Bank let the market while manufacturing sector especially JKH also significantly performed well. With the fuel revision Land IOC also a significant stock at the floor.

Meanwhile, First Capital Treasuries said that Ramesh Schaffter resigned as a Non-Independent Non-Executive Director with effect from October 1, to facilitate the restructuring of the company’s board.

Yesterday the Central Bank announced the US Dollar rate as against rupee. The rupee was quoted flat at Rs 330.65/80 to the US dollar in the spot market , while bond yields dropped, dealers said.