Businessman with a bounce and a healing touch

by Ruwanthi Abeyakoon

WONDER TOUCH: Villagers who suffer from burns go to him knowing that he can bring relief. He whispers a few words over some water and applies it on the burn taking away the pain.

Within a couple of months the burn will heal leaving no scar. He is not a doctor, healer or a magician but a businessman but blessed with a wonderful way of healing people, which he explains as a family secret.

"I am involved in two businesses. I entered the business world with my rubber factory. After completing my studies in Colombo, in the year 1988, I bought a factory without machinery in Pelmadulla. I modified it and started manufacturing crepe rubber.

It was the only private latex factory. I used to buy latex and manufacture crepe rubber," Managing Director, Gunaseela Rubber Mills and Ran Lanka, Cholomondeley Gunaseela reminisced.

Gunaseela had to face many difficulties at first to make his business steady. "At the first stage it was very difficult to sell the products at the auctions. As our trade mark was new it was still to be recognized. Buyers were reluctant to buy. Within two years we were able to gain the best price at the auctions and everything moved smoothly," he explained.

The business that was flourishing was hindered once again. "There was a bad era for rubber and the market fell drastically. I had to close the factory for about two years. Later when prices were catching up I restarted the factory and manufactured scrap rubber. At present we do value addition in Ratnapura and send it to the market," Gunaseela said.

"I have employed around fifteen in my factory. There are twenty to twenty five suppliers who supply scrap in bulk. We give them a good price. Even a small timer can get a good price if supplied", he said.

Taking the hand of his wife, opened up the doors for Gunaseela to venture into gem and jewellery business. "My father was a gem merchant and a planter. My wife also had the knowledge in this industry, as her father was a jeweller. We manage `Ran Lanka', our gem and jewellery business, catering the local market. With the help of the Export Development Board we do some exports also," he said.

"I have participated in three exhibitions in New York, Tokyo and Germany. I was able to make a few contacts. There is a good demand for local gems. There are less expensive stones also. Semi precious stones are also sold at our shop. We also have stones that are used by people when they come across unlucky or struck with distress in life. We have specialized in these stones and we receive lots of orders from Colombo," he explained.

Artistic minds of Gunaseela and his wife create beautiful jewellery that can be used for various occasions. "We do our own designs. They are exclusive. We always try to give our customers something new and unique. I have ten employees. But this industry creates lots of outsourcers. There are five families involved in my business. They find a living through my business," he said.

Gunaseela hopes to develop his business in the future.

"The Business for Peace Alliance helped me to expand the scope of my business. Through BPA, we were able to establish better ties with the Chambers. It also created a better environment for business. I had the opportunity to visit China with the delegation headed by the President Mahinda Rajapaksa. China has potential for gem and jewellery. We developed contacts in China. My main concern is to export Sri Lankan gems to China. There is a good demand for Lankan gems in China," he explained.

However this dynamic businessman who is also the President of the Sabaragamuwa Chamber of Commerce intends to serve the needs of the local market and expand his business in the future.