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by Shirajiv Sirimane

Hiran Jayasinghe

For the first time Sri Lankan entrepreneurs involved in the garment industry have got an opportunity to take part in the International Sourcing Neighbourhood of the world's largest and most comprehensive Apparel Trade Show. Produced twice a year, in Las Vegas, USA, 'MAGIC' is the world's largest Apparel purchasing community.

A local businessman Hiran Jayasinghe now based in USA has been appointed as MAGIC's exclusive representative for Sri Lanka. Jayasinghe who is now in Sri Lanka said that this Exhibition would be the ideal venue for Sri Lankan businessmen involved in the garment industry to meet genuine buyers and establish connections with them on a one to one basis.

"The four-day event will be attended by over 85,000 buyers and 3,000 exhibitors from 110 countries. Since only the top management level personnel from the rank of Vice Presidents upwards are attending MAGIC, this would be the ideal venue to make contact with very influential people since you meet only the real buyers," he said.

He said that with the quota system being phased out in December 31, 2004, it is estimated that over 40% of employees in the sector will lose their jobs unless new buyers are found. "This is because the buyer is free to buy from any country."

He said that most of Sri Lanka's Apparel companies doing sub contracts will face a major problem when the quota system is phased out unless there are steady buyers.

Jayasinghe who has been in the United States for the past 16 years said that since decision makers in the garment trade are meeting this would be an ideal opportunity for local entrepreneurs to even go to the extent of signing MoUs with new partners.

"Statistics from the MAGIC exhibition over the past three decades have shown that 93% of US buyers are looking for new overseas suppliers. He said that USA imported apparel to the value of US $ 20,000,000,000 last year.

An old boy of St. Thomas' College, Jayasinghe went to USA for higher business studies and later joined Hughes Aircraft, as a systems engineer.

He later started his own IT Company in Beverly Hills, California. Jayasinghe was the founder President and the only Sri Lankan at the Junior Chamber of Commerce in Beverly Hills. Today he is the Chairman of this prestigious organisation. He was also adviser to Michael Jackson Production, Penthouse Publication, Aerospace and entertainment companies in USA.

He is also working on developing a virtual city for city of Beverly Hills where a visitor could walk down the city streets in the comfort of his home and make purchases on the net on BH 90210.com.

Since 1999 he has been promoting the idea of inviting Sri Lankan garment manufacturing companies to attend the MAGIC event. "In 1999 nine members from the Export Development Board attended MAGIC. But since then there was neither a feedback nor any representation from Sri Lanka."

However countries such as China, Bangladesh and India are attending this event regularly and are utilising it to find new buyers. This year only sourcing Neighbourhood exhibitors have confirmed their attendance. China has reserved over 110 booths, India over 40 and Bangladesh 14.

He said that though China is now one of the leading garment suppliers to the world there are many European and US based companies that appreciate the Sri Lankan touch.

"The Sri Lankan workforce is highly recognised for their high literacy rate and skills. Lankan workers are known to develop new designs or styles very quickly and this too is a plus factor for Sri Lanka."

Jayasinghe said that this year Sri Lanka would have a separate pavilion at the MAGIC sourcing Neighbourhood for Apparel Exporters; software developers for the Apparel industry, Jewellery manufactures and other industries related to Fashion. The US Embassy too is coordinating the event.

Sri Lankan companies hoping to attend MAGIC could get more information from their website on SUMMITg7.com or on e-mail, MAGIC@SUMMITg7.com

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