Business
Technology Transfer Mission at Mahindra Ideal Lanka Pvt Limited, Welipenna
SL technicians set to roll over all stages of car assembly at the plant
An Indian Automobile Engineer, who was a plant head Mahindra Ideal Lanka Pvt Ltd. (MILPL), car assembly plant in Wellipenna of is due to leave the island after successfully completing this training mission. Post his movement, MILPL plant will be run by 100% Sri Lankan technical workforce.
Engineer Sadhasivam Durairaj told the media recently that he would be completing his two-year technology transfer mission and Plant Head role on January 31, 2021 and he had utmost confidence that Sri Lankan technicians have gained the knowledge and competency to create a product according to the specifications of Mahindra & Mahindra, India.
“In fact, I can assure that Sri Lankan car assembly technicians at MILPL can perform the duties and responsibilities such as diagnostic tests on the assembled product to ensure efficiency and conduct adjustments as needed on par with global standards,” he said.
“Assembly technicians must be knowledgeable about the technology and mechanical industry as well as have the ability to analyse designs as a guide for creating high-quality products. Sri Lankan technicians have now absorbed all these skills to perform the assembly operations with no supervision”.
“I trained around 50 technicians and found that working at an assembly plant producing a quality product had come naturally to them. That made my job easier and more enjoyable. In fact, when I first interviewed them, I had planned to ask them only the basic questions, but I was surprised that they were even able to answer questions on more complex things such as functions of car parts, Importance of automotive systems, root causes etc. That made me confident of producing global standard quality cars in Sri Lanka from day one. I saw that training was mainly required in areas such as standardization, plant safety, shop floor disciplines etc. Over the period, they learned quickly and they adhered to standards and specifications. I’d simply say that they were good learners and followers”.
Referring to personal attributes of his Sri Lankan technical staff, Sadhasivam said,” they showed a great deal of self-discipline, attention to detail, good problem-solving skills, passion for technology and focus on the end-user of the product; all of which led to functional excellence at the assembly line”.
“The global automotive industry supply chain adopts lean manufacturing concepts, our Mahindra Ideal Lanka plant is a venue for Lean Production. We procure around 30% parts locally – seat, exhaust, battery and tyre, the local value-added parts are ordered based on the monthly requirements and procured on Just-In-Time (JIT) basis. similarly, other consumables and Imported parts are procured based on our stock holding policy – this depends on the lead time which includes packaging, shipment and customs clearance”, he said.
“Mahindra vehicles are a strong line-up of great reliability. In India, we call it Scorpio company or Bolero company because it is well- known for its sturdy products. And Ideal Motors Sri Lanka is a well established network with its service centers, showrooms, logistics and customer care centres. That synergy will ensure customer delight like no other combination,” he said.
When asked about the assembly plant’s production capacity, Sadhasivam said,” the annual capacity is 5,000 units, now we produce 100+ cars per month and we will ramp up daily production as market demand increases. Presently we have assembled KUV100 Manual Petrol variants, and we have planned to add KUV100 AMT Diesel variants in the time to come”.
“Our technicians at MILPL plant are committed to ‘Zero Defect Manufacturing and doing it right the first time. The past two years of my life as Head of Vehicle Production Plant of Mahindra Ideal Lanka have been full of amazing experiences and a lot of professional satisfaction. I came across some of the most talented, experienced and friendly coworkers in Sri Lanka, I would miss being part of this great workplace and would say that anyone who gets the opportunity to work here will find it an energy-filled workplace”.
Sadhasivam is moving on to a new ‘challenging’ position in another automotive company in India next month.
Company stresses ambition to surpass this milestone
Eyes markets across Africa and beyond
In a groundbreaking achievement for Sri Lanka’s IT and electronics manufacturing industry, EWIS Colombo Ltd, the country’s first and only local computer manufacturer, has successfully exported its first consignment of locally built laptops to Zimbabwe.
This landmark event not only positions Sri Lanka as an emerging force in global IT hardware manufacturing but also highlights EWIS’s commitment to innovation, quality, and excellence on the international stage.
This historic shipment, dispatched from EWIS’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Samajasewapura, Sooriyawewa, underscores the company’s dedication to delivering world-class technology solutions. With over 11 years of expertise in manufacturing and assembly, EWIS Colombo Ltd has played a pivotal role in driving Sri Lanka’s ICT sector forward. As a Board of Investment (BOI) Section 17-approved company, EWIS has established the country’s first and only local computer manufacturing plant, paving the way for the nation’s growth in high-tech exports.
Speaking on this momentous achievement, Sanjeewa Wickramanayake, Chairman of EWIS Colombo Ltd, said: “This milestone is not just for EWIS but for Sri Lanka as a whole. It proves that our country has the talent, capability, and ambition to manufacture and export high-quality IT products, competing confidently on the global stage. As we continue expanding beyond local markets, we take immense pride in showcasing Sri Lanka’s excellence in technology and innovation to the world. EWIS’s commitment to world-class quality is reinforced by its ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, CE, FCC, and RoHS certifications, ensuring compliance with international quality, safety, and environmental standards.”
Speaking further he said:
“For nearly four decades, EWIS has been a trailblazer in Sri Lanka’s ICT sector, delivering cutting-edge solutions for education, businesses, and government enterprises.
With over 11 years of local manufacturing and assembly expertise, EWIS has continuously refined its capabilities to produce high-quality, internationally competitive IT hardware. The successful export to Zimbabwe represents a bold step toward expanding EWIS’s global footprint, reinforcing Sri Lanka’s potential as a world-class technology and manufacturing hub.”
Dialog Television, Sri Lanka’s #1 Pay-TV service provider, has partnered with Emerging Media to enhance the convenience and effectiveness of advertising. This collaboration brings together Dialog Television’s world-class entertainment, featuring 18 advertisable channels across genres such as movies, edutainment, kids, music, sports, and local content, with Emerging Media’s expertise in digital advertising and targeted marketing. This synergy creates a seamless platform for businesses to maximize brand exposure across multiple channels.
With a reach of over 1.7 million households, Dialog Television provides advertisers with a powerful avenue to engage diverse audiences. Brands can place advertisements on leading international and local channels such as &flix, Star Movies, TLC, Animal Planet, AXN, Zee Café, Comedy Central, Star Plus, A+, Nickelodeon, Star Vijay, Zee Tamil, Star Sports, Ten Cricket, Sony SIX, ThePapare TV, Channel One, Citi Hitz and Channel C. Through this partnership, Emerging Media will facilitate advertising sales, allowing businesses to target specific viewer segments while simplifying the media buying process with a single point of contact.
Commenting on the partnership, Lim Li San, Group Chief Operating Officer at Dialog Axiata PLC, stated, “As Sri Lanka’s premier Pay-TV service provider, we serve more than 1.7 million households with over 6 million pairs of captive eyeballs across Sri Lanka. Today, we are excited to embark on this partnership with Emerging Media to avail our Dialog Television platform and brand strength to provide quality advertisement exposure and customer engagement to local businesses across Sri Lanka.”
The International Institute of Health Sciences (IIHS), a pioneer in healthcare training for over 23 years, has partnered with the University of Surrey, UK, to revolutionise healthcare education in Sri Lanka and the broader South Asian region. This will create a world-class academic pathway for aspiring nursing and healthcare professionals, as well as young individuals seeking careers in the field. Under this agreement, IIHS and the University of Surrey will introduce a series of academic initiatives to enhance healthcare training and accessibility.
These include delivering internationally recognised nursing programmes that allow Sri Lankan and regional students to earn globally competitive qualifications in Sri Lanka.
Commenting on the move, Dr. Kithsiri Edirisinghe, CEO & Dean of Undergraduate Studies at IIHS, said: “This MOU marks a significant step in our mission to deliver world-class healthcare education to Sri Lanka and the region. IIHS remains dedicated to shaping the future of healthcare professionals and fostering global healthcare leadership.” Dr. Shelini Surendran, Associate Dean (International) at the University of Surrey, emphasised: “Sri Lanka is establishing itself as a regional education hub, and this partnership ensures students across Asia can access top-tier UK healthcare education at IIHS. By bridging academic excellence with accessibility, we provide students with a clear pathway to their professional goals.”
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