Business Advertorial

Supercharged Exide unveils power-packed growth initiatives

An investment of Rs 150 million in a plant upgrade, exciting new products, a new head office complex, a branded dealer and service network and a fleet of Battmobiles were the key elements of a power-packed growth plan unveiled last week by Exide.

Powered by a new management team and a new Board of Directors led by Rohini Nanayakkara, the Battery Division of Brown and Company PLC, the diversified 132 year old conglomerate, hosted top dealers to a gala Partner Felicitation at Waters Edge to acknowledge their contribution to the unassailable market leadership achieved by its flagship brand Exide.

More than 50 dealers from all over the country received awards and valuable prizes including frost-free refrigerators, television sets and air tickets at the event, which was used by the company to disclose details of a comprehensive road map to take the brand to a new paradigm of growth.

Among these plans was the investment of Rs 150 million on a new hi-tech manufacturing plant that will produce ‘Exide Ultra Power’ a high-performance maintenance-free battery, new exclusive signage for selected dealers, the launch of a fleet of Exide ‘Battmobile’ three-wheelers and vans equipped to provide ‘service in a spark,’ the adoption of new concepts in human resource management and training programmes for dealer outlets.

Addressing the convention, Browns Group CEO and Managing Director Murali Prakash said Browns had commenced a new journey under a new management that had infused new life into the old giant.

The ‘power behind Browns,’ the company’s Battery Division, has been recharged with new infrastructure, a new office complex and a network of service centres coming up all over the island to enable it to produce truly world class products that match the highest international standards, he said.

SLIM Convocation concludes

In a knowledge driven economy economic growth and development are essential and it is also essential for Universities and professional institutes to work together to achieve a critical mass of well-trained and highly adaptable professionals said, Professor Naradha Warnasuriya Vice Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayawardenapura.

“Universities and professional institutes play complementary roles in this regard. Universities are more academic and research oriented while the professional institutes concentrate on practical aspects and fitness for purpose in the work place he said.

This was said at the recently concluded Convocation of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) which was held at the HNB auditorium where Prof. Warnasuriya was the Chief Guest.

Union Assurance wins National Business Excellence Award 2007

Union Assurance PLC was awarded the National Business Excellence Award 2007 presented by the National Chamber of Commerce. In addition to that the company is a leading insurer which has won many local and international accolades in the resent past.

For the last 20 years the company has made great strides in the sphere of life, general and motor insurance with steady growth.

Asked about the successful growth of the company, GM Marketing and Distribution Rukman Weeraratne said a highly skilled staff trained by constant training and development programmes provides impeccable service to the customers. Their dedication, hard work and sense of responsibility could be attributed to the growing success of the company.

The company’s financial stability is a power of strength which has raised Union Assurance as on of the best insurance service providers in the country.

Union Assurance is blessed with state-of-the-art facilities and has been designed as one-stop insurance service provider introducing competitive and innovative insurance packages pertaining to life and non-life insurance policies.

The company’s annual report was the best report in the South Asian region because the company presented its financial position with total transparency and accountability, performance, management, corporate governance and corporate social responsibility.

Providing opportunity to make informed decisions stressed

Ruzaik Farook
Colpetty correspondent

The unemployment rate is growing; however, what is worse is that the true potential of a student is being overlooked. Education has become a rat race; the destination at the end has become stereotyed and intent only on a single pathway.

Thus automatically people get left behind. The American Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka (AmCham) which has joined hands with Edex and become the strategic partner for Edex 2008 believes that their vision on empowering Sri Lankan youth has not come to the forefront at a better time, said Ransi Dharmasiriwardhana, Project Manager, AmCham.

“There is no doubt Sri Lanka builds a lot of talent but providing them the opportunity to make informed decisions on advancing that talent must also become a priority,” she said. She added that there needed to be institutions that guided students or hopefuls to fulfil their potential.

Edex which is holding their education and career exhibition for the fifth year in January next year firmly believes in lending a hand in opening up many pathways for varying degrees of potential.

Organised by the Royal College Union, Edex 2008 will be held in Colombo in January 18, 19 and 20 at the BMICH, while in Kandy it will be held in January 22 and 23 at the Queens Hotel.

AmCham which brings together nearly 300 Sri Lankan and American companies based in Sri Lanka itself involved in trade, business and investment activities between the two companies.

“We hope the range of companies exhibited will open up avenues for those interested,” she said adding that Edex would provide a chance for people to be aware of what is available and would be able to explore as well.

“For the fifth consecutive year, Edex is bringing its vision of empowering the Sri Lankan youth to be globally competitive to life and the American Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka (AmCham) is pleased to support this vision of the National Higher Education and Careers Exhibition, Edex 2008,” said Ransi.

“The Exhibition’s unmatched success has brought the latest avenues in higher education, vocational training as well as career profiling for all students and career professionals. It is encouraging to see such a dedicated and motivated team working together to make a significant difference for the future of our youth.”

Euro motors launches ‘Fiat Service Week’

Euro Motors, the local agent for Fiat in Sri Lanka will be holding their first ever Fiat Service Week this month. The objective of this exercise is to cover more ground, bringing all Fiat car owners in Sri Lanka under one ‘service’ roof.

This endeavour by the company will fulfill a long felt void that existed in the Fiat market in Sri Lanka. Fiat cars across the country will be offered a free of charge health check during the Fiat Service Week, which will be held in December 3 to 9.

Euro Motors which has the Italian car agency for just under a year now says that they would provide all Fiat cars even those bought off former agents or directly imported, full service support with complete spare part backing.

“In addition to providing free of charge check ups, this week will also afford the opportunity to gauge the seize of the Fiat market in Sri Lanka and the kind of support care owners need from Fiat in terms of maintenance and availability etc.” says Brand Manager for Fiat in Sri Lanka Chintani Mendis.

The Fiat Service Week will provide all Fiat car owners to get a diagnostic report on their cars free of charge. “The special examiner who helps diagnose electronic issues in a vehicle is a standard requirement for all Fiat agents around the world.

This examiner is widely used at Euro Motors’ service centre to diagnose engine system anomalies, air bag safety system ABS, cruise control, automatic A/C and climate control and electric power steering systems.

This equipment which is linked to the Fiat website also provides the latest technical solutions developed by the Fiat Research Centre in Italy,” said Rohan Joseph, Service Manager of Euro Motors.

Euro Motors while maintaining a full stock of spare parts for the 3 models which they have launched in Sri Lanka i.e. Grand de Punto, Dublo and Panda also assures that they would import and supply spare parts needed for other Fiat car models.

For all those who take up this offer during the Fiat Service Week, Euro Motors offers a 15 per cent discount on spare parts.

Macksons Paints launches Multilac

Macksons Paints Lanka manufacturers of the renowned Multilac range of paints, has now introduced Multilac Weather Plus Dirt Shield Exterior Emulsion, the star product in its recently launched Supreme Life range, which are the Company’s latest and most innovative range of paints to date.

Other paints in the range include Multilac Disinfecting Wall Wash, Supreme Life Water Proofing Sealer, Supreme Life Flexible Elastomeric Wall Primer and Supreme Life Alkali Resistant Clear Wall Sealer.

Dirt Shield is a unique water based emulsion, hailed by builders, contractors and home owners around the country as being the long awaited answer to total protection against all major hazards faced by outside building surfaces, and comes with a 10 year performance warranty.

Dirt accumulation, fading colours, peeling paint and the growth of algae and mould are now worries of the past, as Dirt Shield uses state- of- the- art technology containing lightfast pigments, dirt retarding polymers, fungus and mould retarding additives in its special formula that guards against the forming of algae and fungus on outside surfaces.

The paint’s self cleaning properties also prevent the build up of dirt which, after awhile, leads to fungus formation.