South Asia Textile Industries Lanka kicks off ambitious, Rs. 1 Billion expansion programme

Leading Sri Lankan textile manufacturer South Asia Textile Industries Lanka recently kicked off a highly ambitious expansion programme, having already begun investing what will ultimately be over Rs. 1 Billion, in total, in the latest 5th Generation Hybrid/Nano technology used in state-of-art textile machinery in all its divisions. These upgrades, comprising high-speed knitting machines from SANTONI Italy and UNITEX Singapore, will be capable of developing and producing new and innovative knitted fabrics. Additionally, new equipment to be installed, which is worth mentioning, includes high-end fully computerised printing machines imported from STORK, in Austria and Holland.

South Asia Textile Industries Lanka has also made a number of other, recent improvements, including the introduction of specialised textile machines from world-famous brands such as SANTEX, from Switzerland, TANDEMATIC, from USA, MARLO & CORINO, from Italy, and FONGS, from China.

At the same time, substantial new investments have also been made in South Asia Textile Industries Lanka’s already state-of-the-art Testing Lab, gearing it up for the next generation of challenges. With the addition of new, highly sophisticated equipment, the lab continues to maintain its highly sought after accreditations by leading global apparel brand names like Marks & Spencer, NEXT, Limited Brands and many, many others.

Further, it is also noteworthy that South Asia Textile Industries Lanka, In keeping with International Compliance Standards, is nearing the achievement of the highly respected “Zero Discharge” standard in terms of industrial waste, which is a major part of a commitment for 2020 by global clothing brands as well as the apparel, and related, industries at large.

Commenting, the company’s Chief Executive Officer Prithiv Dorai said, “This large scale expansion will allow South Asia Textiles Industries Lanka to reach a completely new dimension in textile manufacturing in Sri Lanka. Not only will it facilitate a extensive benefits to local apparel manufacturers in terms of speed and flexibility, but it will also result in a greater availability of the latest fabric styles and colours, in keeping with international trends.”

Adding to this, South Asia Textiles Industries Lanka Director Kenneth Wijesuriya signalled that the financial performance of the company, for the full year ending March 2015, exceeded all expectations with year-on-year growth closing in on 250 per cent. He also added that the company’s growth is expected to increase further in the coming years.

With the new administration of the Government of Sri Lanka, and GSP+ anticipated in the coming months, the textiles and apparel industries are poised for a new decade of growth, offering unmatched products, in terms of range and quality, as well as greater levels of competitiveness, when compared to other countries in the South Asian region.

South Asia Textile Industries Lanka is a subsidiary company of Lanka Century Investments PLC and Ceylon Leather Products PLC.