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By Chamitha Kuruppu

A delegation of top officials including the Executive Vice President of Sara Lee Corporation USA, one of the largest manufacturers in the world visited Sri Lanka this week for a two-day study, which will focus on existing investment and business relationships as well as commencing business with Sara Lee USA and to the Continent.

Executive Vice President of the Sara Lee Corporation Cary McMillan briefs the media about their visit to Sri Lanka. Chairman of the MAST Lanka Private Limited Ashroff Omar, President Casual wear Karen Stuckey and Manel Rodrigo of the Export Development Board are also in the picture.

Executive Vice President of Sara Lee Cary McMillan said investing in Sri Lanka would be an advantage compared with other Asian countries. " Management talent is very interesting and there is positive infrastructure in Sri Lanka," McMillan said

McMillan said that the team was concerned about the 'fantastic' working conditions in Sri Lanka. He outlined the benefits granted to local workers as well as the literacy levels.

Sri Lanka which is a primary supplier to developed countries such as Europe and Germany needs to expand its business to many other countries as well. Therefore opening business opportunities between Sri Lanka and Sara Lee USA would be an initiative for such an expanding process.

During the two-day visit the team visited some of the companies which they believed to be prospective to tie up for business with Sara Lee in future.

Meanwhile, Sara Lee is engaged in business with two joint ventures in Sri Lanka Courtaulds Lanka Limited and Izebella Private Limited which supplies products to UK and Germany.

A delegation organised by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) comprising leading private sector apparel exporters, officials from the Board of Investment, EDB and Sri Lanka's Embassy in Washington visited Sara Lee corporation in North Carolina, USA.

McMillan said that they need to 'do little bit of work here' before commencing business and pointed out that Sri Lanka should focus on more value added products for a successful expansion in business.

Sara Lee USA will be looking for further investments in Asia and Sri Lanka is most likely to receive more investments according to the team. " World trade will become more open by 2005 and beyond," McMillan said.

Headquartered in Chicago, Sara Lee Corporation is a global branded consumer packaged goods company with approximately $ 20 billion in annual revenue. Its leading brands include Hanes, Sara Lee, Douwe Egberts, Jimmy Dean, Hilshire Farm, Playtex and Wonderbra.

Sara Lee Corporation has operations in 55 countries and markets branded products in nearly 200 nations. The corporation employs 154,900 people worldwide.

The global expansion of Sara Lee corporation's business activities into countries and diverse cultures requires a commitment to the procurement of products and services in a manner which is conducive to global good citizenship, will enhance the company's reputation and the image of all Sara Lee brands and will improve the company's commercial success.

The delegation comprised President and CEO Sl Sportswear and Asia Branded Appare Gerald Evans, Luis Torres of SVP Global sourcing, Shishir Babu of SVP Asia Business Development, Director Business Deveopment Victor Polanco, President of Casualwear Karen Stuckey, President and CEO Sara Lee Courtauds Eiaz Polaeg, CEO Lingerie Division Sara Lee Courtaulds Shlomo Dorron and Vice President Far East Operations Joy Fong

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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