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Keells launches 'Enchanted Christmas' promo

Anuradha KODAGODA

Keells Super launched its Christmas 2008 promotion titled 'Enchanted Christmas' last Wednesday at the Keells Super outlet at Kohuwala. Shoppers could step into any Keells Super or Super K outlet during this festive season to enjoy amazing discounts for over 350 much needed products, while simultaneously standing a chance to double their entire seasonal shopping spend.

"Enchanted Christmas 2008 is indeed in line with our corporate theme, 'Welcome to Life'," said Chief Operating Officer, Jay Kay Marketing Service (Pvt) Ltd, Kumar de Silva. "Our quest is to be above the rest in quality, value and customer satisfaction; and with this in mind, we have brought in real value discounts, a magical draw and an atmosphere which has never been experienced before in local supermarkets.

Evaluating the past trends and data, we have identified over 350 essential products which shoppers buy including dhal, onions, green grams, jack mackerel - and have given excellent price discounts on those."

Keells Super Magic Draw is a sensational shopping promotion which will run across Keells Super and Super K outlets till December 31.

To enter the draw, customers will have to make a one time purchase of items for over Rs. 2,000. Thereafter, they will be automatically tracked using Nexus loyalty cards and Keells Super Red Cards. A winner will be chosen daily, who will receive free shopping worth DOUBLE the cumulative spend at Keells Super and Super Ks upto December 31.

Keells Super also baked one of the largest Christmas cakes in the country - one tipping the scales at 10,000 kgs.

A much anticipated range of cakes would also be available at all outlets starting November 29, along with a range of Christmas goodies including mince pies, Christmas breudher, ginger bread houses, special Christmas cookies and much more.

In addition, shoppers could purchase all their Christmas ingredients at all outlets; or can place orders for their Christmas trees which would be available in 4ft, 6ft, 8ft and 10ft sizes.

"Keells Super shoppers stand a chance of winning massive, unlimited amounts of free shopping.

The 2008 Keells Super hamper collection includes a range of 17 hampers, priced from Rs.4,800 to Rs.1 million. Customers could also customise hampers with their own selection of products and individual budgets. Discounts will be given for bulk purchases. Furthermore, 10 per cent discounts will be given to those purchasing their hampers with HNB credit cards. Sri Lankans living abroad could also send groceries, Christmas goodies or hampers to their loved ones in Sri Lanka through www.keellssuper.com, the first and only online supermarket in Sri Lanka," explained Priyanga Dassanayake, Manager Marketing, Jay Kay Marketing Services (Pvt) Ltd.

Ceylinco donates classrooms to rural schools

Hundreds of children from underprivileged rural schools are now studying in better conditions thanks to Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives of Life Insurance leader Ceylinco Life.

The company's latest Schools Development Project begun earlier this year has to-date benefited six rural schools for which the company has built classrooms and donated furniture and other needs.

Four of these schools, the Saliyapura School in Mollipathana, Ruwanwella Maha Vidyalaya in Ruwanwella, Wegedera Junior School in Maho and Rambakanyagama Vidyalaya in Anamaduwa received new classroom buildings. A fifth school, Thanjanthenna Vidyalaya in Balangoda received a special sound-proof classroom for deaf children, while the Pitarathmalee Tamil School in Haputale was provided with a water supply facility.

"We view this project as an investment in the future generation," Ceylinco Life's Chief Executive Director R. Renganathan said. "In many remote areas of the country, rural schools are struggling to survive and urgently need help to develop basic facilities." Renganathan said that the company's extensive network of 150 branches continues to identify needy schools in rural areas.

Ceylinco Life's CSR initiatives fall into two categories, projects that contribute to the wellbeing of the community through enhancement of the quality of life of policyholders and grass-roots level projects that enrich the lives of the community in general, particularly the poorest segments of the population in underprivileged areas. Key areas of focus are education, health, lifestyle and livelihoods.

Ceylinco Life has also conducted a series of blood donation camps across the country in collaboration with the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS). Using the infrastructure and logistics capabilities developed for its 'Waidya Hamuwa' programme of free medical camps and the experience gained in reaching out to rural masses, the company has conducted nine blood donation camps this year and collected 400 pints of blood for the NBTS. This initiative is in response to an urgent national need for blood for transfusion, Renganathan said.
 

'Sathkara' from SriLankan becoming popular

'Sathkara' the Exclusive Passenger Welcome Service of SriLankan Airlines, is growing in popularity among travellers at Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport.

The service is in high demand among businessmen, corporates who want special treatment for their clients and other important persons, elderly Sri Lankans, and even tourists.

Sathkara provides a smooth, hassle free journey beginning with a personalised escort by a charming young ground stewardess throughout a person's stay at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). Sathkara ensures express check in, swift clearance of immigration and complimentary porterage in the airport, as well as a host of other services.

Captain Milinda Ratnayake, Head of Service Delivery at SriLankan, said: "Sathkara is a comprehensive service that is offered only by SriLankan Airlines at BIA. Passengers only need to walk up to the stewardess holding a sign with their names on it, and everything else is taken care of. Sathkara is especially popular among corporate houses which want their clients and other VIP's to have a hassle-free journey." The service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at a nominal fee of USD 20 per passenger. Sathkara can be further personalised at a nominal additional charge with additional touches such as bouquets of flowers.

Sathkara, which means Caring in Sinhala, caters to special passengers who are arriving, departing or in transit.

SriLankan's friendly and efficient ground staff, who are globally known for their caring and warmth, provide the best service there is to offer.

Sathkara passengers travelling on Business Class are also hosted at SriLankan's luxurious Serendib Lounge until their flight times, with its panoramic view of the airport, and wide range of luxury services. SriLankan Airlines has won many global awards for its high standards in service. These include accolades from other airlines using BIA, where SriLankan provides all ground handling services.

UC revolutionizing business landscape

"Unified Communications (UC) is revolutionising the business landscape. In response to the current economic forces, companies are already taking a 'revolutionary' approach to advancing their businesses in terms of communication.

UC is the amalgamation of different and disparate communication systems that are available to an enterprise user. UC applications help improve the enterprise user's productivity and enhance collaboration by the integration and convergence of multiple enterprise communication channels.

UC applications are expected to be embedded and integrated into business processes and enterprise applications such as Contact Centers, Supply Chain, etc. The adopters of UC have been across verticals like BFSI, Information Technology, the Government, manufacturing, service providers and educational institutions. There is a huge untapped market for UC in India, despite the CIOs being unable to quantify the benefits or measure productivity gains.

According to Girish Trivedi, Deputy Director, Telecom Practice, Frost and Sullivan, South Asia and Middle East, "Given the current state of the economy, enterprises are placing increasing emphasis on optimizing costs; Unified Communications could be one of the means to significantly reduce long-term costs on travel, achieve faster turn-around in terms of ROI as well as improve overall productivity and efficiency in the workplace."

 

Hayleys Advantis turns 50

Hayleys Advantis, the corporate brand that unites companies in the Hayleys Group's transportation and logistics businesses celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, as an inspiring chronicle of evolutionary growth in the history of Sri Lankan business.

From its beginnings in 1958 as the Steamer Agency Department of Hayleys Limited six years after the parent group was incorporated under that name, Hayleys Advantis has evolved into a Rs 3.5 billion group of over 30 business units that has a strategic presence in the United States, Europe, the Far East, the Indian Sub continent and the Pacific Islands, owns ships and provides seamless integrated logistics solutions that cover air, land and sea.

Along the way, the Hayleys Advantis Group's multi-faceted businesses have grown to become the Sri Lankan leaders in third party logistics including container yards and multi-user warehousing and distribution centres, bonded consolidation and deconsolidation, transportation and haulage; the island's largest freight forwarding group; a supply-chain management solutions provider of global significance; a leading General Sales Agent for airlines and cargo carriers; the largest car-carrier handling agent in the Port of Colombo; and representative of the world's largest air express freight company.

"The milestones are so numerous that we lose count," said Mohan Pandithage, Deputy Chairman of Hayleys PLC, whose association with Hayleys Advantis and its predecessors Maritime Holdings and Maritime Agencies Limited, dates back to 1969.

"As a total solutions provider in the transport and logistics sectors, Hayleys Advantis is a leader, both in terms of the services it offers today and the comprehensive infrastructure under its management."

Expansion over the last decade has included major investments in a container yard (US$ 1.25 million), and a state-of-the-art distribution centre (US$ 3 million) believed to be the most modern facility of its kind in South Asia.

The facility located on an eight acre block of land in Kelaniya now has 220,000 square feet and is part of a global warehousing coverage of 1.3 million square feet, servicing multinational clients. One of the latest developments was the commissioning of Logilink, a Customs Supervised Freight Station that represents a new dimension in deconsolidation and consolidation services for the imports and exports of Sri Lanka. Advantis also capitalised on developments in Thulhiriya, opening a central logistics hub to offer services within the MAS Fabric Park.

In October 2008 the Group also expanded its portfolio in the marine services sector by partnering with the UK based Edgo Group, through its consultancy arm Edgo Merap, to provide support services to the oil and energy sector. The Group also ventured into bunker supplying, having obtained its bunkering licence earlier this year.

Pandithage disclosed that the company plans to recognise nine people who have been with the Group for 25 of its 50 eventful years as part of a series of internal and external commemoratory activities planned for this year.

Commenting on the Hayleys Advantis Group's contribution to the parent group, Hayleys PLC Chairman N. G. Wickremeratne said: "Transportation has been one of the most significant components of the mainstream businesses of Hayleys in the last several years. It is a sector which has seen appreciable change in recent times.

Hayleys Advantis has been remarkably able to adapt and develop its businesses to use the new opportunities that presented themselves."

Wickremeratne said another distinctive feature of Hayleys Advantis was its success in integrating the multiple products and services its Group companies provide, to offer customers packaged solutions from a single contact point.

Hayleys Advantis offers seven key services - International Freight, Third Party Logistics, Shipping and Marine Services, Warehousing and Transit Facilities, Haulage, Aviation and Travel and Agency Representation.

Hayleys PLC, whose origins date back to the establishment of Chas P. Hayley & Company in Galle in 1878, today comprises of businesses in Global Markets & Manufacturing (Fibre, Hand Protection, Purification Products and Textiles), Agriculture & Agri Business (Agri Inputs, Agri Products and Plantations), Transport & Infrastructure (Transportation, Industry Inputs and Power & Energy), Consumer & Leisure (Consumer Products and Resorts) and Investments & Services. Rated a Business Superbrand by The Superbrands Organisation, Hayleys accounts for 2.7 per cent of Sri Lanka's export income.