Singer (Sri Lanka) advances in local manufacturing to provide high quality furniture and water pumps to the local market

Singer (Sri Lanka), a premier retail company, has been manufacturing high quality furniture and water pumps since 1993 to cater to the ever-growing consumer needs. Singer’s local manufacturing strength is one that differentiates the company from the rest in the industry, while the company has clearly identified the local consumers’ needs to provide them with a modern range of furniture and water pumps. Its local manufacturing is backed by latest technologies, equipment and a well-streamlined production process.

Singer (Sri Lanka) is already playing a major role in the country’s local manufacturing process. Singer has several local manufacturing facilities, which produce a wide range of consumer products. Its Piliyandala factory complex, which spans across a 7-acre land consists of three factories that primarily manufacture furniture including Sofas, beds, cupboards and agro products for domestic and agricultural purposes.

A major contribution for these products are through local manufacturing while collaborations with local suppliers have enabled the factory to invent new products and expand the production capacity. At present, the factory complex provides employment to 168 permanent staff, around 80 contracted employees and over 140 sub-contracted employees. It also provides opportunities for trainees who are willing to develop their manufacturing skills. When it comes to indirect employment, currently, around 125 local suppliers work with the factory, supplying raw materials such as treated wood and water pump components. These suppliers have developed their own business ventures in the process of supplying raw materials to the factory.

Mr. Sujeewa Perera – Factory Director of Singer (Sri Lanka), “It is high time that the entire country focus on ways to increase local manufacturing. Singer has been pioneering the concept of local manufacturing and so far, we have been successful in developing high quality products with advancement in our facility through modern technologies, equipment and methods. This has enabled us to provide employment opportunities and contribute to the domestic economy.”

With the existing number of employees and local suppliers, the factory has a production capacity of 150,000 furniture products and 84,000 water pumps per annum. One of its core businesses being Sofa manufacturing, apart from the imported fabric materials, the factory manufactures all other components in Sofas while several components in water pumps too are locally manufactured using locally sourced metal with the support from foundries.

Looking ahead, the management has planned to expand production capacity in the verticals of furniture and agro products, which create more direct and indirect employment opportunities.  Catering to the market gaps, new furniture and agro products will be introduced in future. The factory continues to evolve and be on par with latest technology and modern equipment that facilitate the manufacturing process. The factory continues to reward its employees with good pay scales and is committed to invest on employee benefits. As for the local suppliers and SME businesses, the factory continues to safeguard their businesses and build long lasting relationships with them, thereby contribute to the growth of local manufacturing within the country.

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