Brandix

Brandix promotes sustainability at International Youth Forum

2012-02-26T21:35:00.001-08:00

-- Top apparel exporter supports workshop on sustainability at AIESEC Sri Lanka event --

Sri Lanka’s top apparel exporter Brandix extended its globally-acclaimed commitment to the environment to the youth by supporting a forum on the sustainability of the environment, held as part of the first-ever Sri Lanka International Youth Forum of AIESEC, the world’s largest student-run organisation.

More than 40 participants who attended the workshop sponsored by Brandix gained exposure and knowledge of sustainability practices and explored how they are put into practice through a thought-provoking case study, which challenged participants to find creative solutions to implement sustainable practices in a real-world situation amidst constraints.

The case study required participants to come up with solutions conforming to regulatory requirements for energy, water and disposal of waste in a hypothetical scenario involving a proposal to construct an eco lodge in the vicinity of the Sinharaja forest. The participants were divided into five groups and instructed to present solutions within a given time period, for managing resources and disposing of them responsibly during the building and operation of the eco lodge.

Among the issues for which participants were required to find solutions were minimising operational energy consumption, possible alternatives to satisfy energy demand, designing a sewerage treatment plant in accordance with the local environmental specifications and finding the relevant government authorities that approval would be needed from, to proceed with the project.

Participants at the Brandix sponsored workshop
on environment sustainability

The Sinharaja forest was specifically chosen for the case study mainly to highlight the Brandix philosophy that like the forest, every inch of land in the world is precious, and needs to be protected with utmost care, the company said.

In addition to the case study, to further the knowledge of participants in sustainability, Brandix representatives made presentations on the topic.

“As a thought and practice leader in the sphere, Brandix is strongly committed to disseminating knowledge on sustainable practices, especially to members of the younger generation, the leaders of tomorrow,” said Iresha Somarathna, the Head of Environment & Energy Management at Brandix. “Forums of this nature which encourage knowledge sharing and the participation and intellectual engagement of youth in matters pertaining to sustainability are important for the future.”

Apart from the sustainability of the environment, the AIESEC Sri Lanka International Youth Forum themed ‘Diversity towards Development’ focused on several aspects including social responsibility, entrepreneurship, tourism and youth and business. The event was held at the University of Moratuwa and was attended by 300 delegates.

In Sri Lanka AIESEC – Association Internationale des Étudiants En Sciences Économiques et Commerciales (International Association of Students in Economics and Management) is currently present in six universities. Globally the organisation has a membership of over 60,000 students and recent graduates of 2,100 institutions of higher education from 110 countries. The membership comprises of individuals who are interested in world issues, leadership, and management.

Brandix’s commitment to sustainability through eco friendly practices has been recognised with top national and international awards. In 2009, the Group was presented the Energy Globe Award, the world’s most prominent and prestigious environmental prize, for its Eco Centre at Seeduwa. The Group was also honoured with the country’s apex award for energy conservation at the first ever Sri Lanka National Energy Efficiency Awards in 2010. In addition, the Brandix Eco Centre has been commended as a global model for sustainable production by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and in Britain’s House of Lords.

Brandix was the first apparel manufacturer in the world to receive the ISO 50001 standard on energy management systems for its Eco Centre. In 2008, the Brandix Eco Centre became the first apparel factory in the world to receive a Platinum rating from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System of the US Green Building Council (USGBC). To date, four Brandix facilities in Sri Lanka and India have received LEED certification.

Brandix forges partnership with University of Kelaniya

2012-02-20T20:11:00.005-08:00

-- Top apparel exporter becomes first corporate entity to formalise cooperation agreement with the university --

Top apparel exporter Brandix will support academic excellence and the development of professional and soft skills of the undergraduates of the University of Kelaniya, in a new partnership forged recently.

With this partnership, Brandix becomes the first private sector entity to enter into a formal collaboration with the University of Kelaniya. The Group has already established similar partnerships with several prominent universities.

The latest agreement envisages the presentation of six ‘Brandix Gold Medal Awards’ to batch-topping undergraduates of six departments at the annual convocation of the University of Kelaniya and the provision of permanent employment, training and internships to the university’s undergraduates at all of the Group’s Strategic Business Units (SBUs) in Sri Lanka.

In addition, the agreement contains provisions enabling the university to further the knowledge of its undergraduates with the assistance of Brandix by inviting the Group’s leadership team for guest lectures, arranging for tours of Brandix’s manufacturing facilities and requesting the Group’s feedback on the relevance of course content of degree programmes to industry.

Reciprocally, by organising interviews with its undergraduates, the university will assist Brandix in fulfilling the Group’s needs for future leaders with strong academic backgrounds. Accordingly, a ‘Brandix Career Day’ has been designated, at which the Group can exclusively interview undergraduates of the university.

Speaking at the occasion, Professor Sarath Amunugama, Vice Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya said: “Apart from providing the necessary academic knowledge it is also the responsibility of universities to develop the skills of students in order to enable industry to absorb them. In order to fulfil this responsibility, collaborations of this nature are required and it is commendable that Brandix is taking the initiative in this regard.” He added that the university was keen to find placements for its undergraduates to gain professional experience, a requirement for the successful completion of several courses. The agreement with Brandix would help significantly in this regard.

Pictured above is Ishan Dantanarayana, Chief People Officer
of the Brandix Group (3rd from left) and Professor Sarath Amunugama,
Vice Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya exchanging copies
of the cooperation agreement, in the presence
of other dignitaries from Brandix and the University.

“This mutually beneficial agreement represents an important investment in future leaders with potential, especially at a time Brandix is focusing on the development of young professionals specialising in key areas,” Ishan Dantanarayana, Chief People Officer (CPO) of the Brandix Group said. “Strengthening collaborations with the universities has the potential to substantially assist the growth of the apparel industry while simultaneously supporting university undergraduates and the academia to further engage in arriving at ‘win-win’ solutions for both parties to add value. Brandix is committed to play a key role in facilitating this process.”

In discussions held at the ceremony to formalise the collaboration, it was also noted by high ranking officials of the university that the University of Kelaniya has developed facilities and substantial expertise in research and development as part of its EDCON programme and that these have already been leveraged by several organisations. The University of Kelaniya is also capable of developing software at a much lesser cost than that charged by businesses in the sector, these university officials said.

It was noted that the signing of an Executive Agreement would pave the way for Brandix to access these resources, and to conduct soft skills development programmes for the students of the University of Kelaniya in the form of a road show.

The batch topping students who will receive ‘Brandix Gold Medal Awards’ will be from the Departments of Human Resource Management, Marketing Management, Commerce and Financial Management, Accountancy, Industrial Management and Statistics & Computer Science of the University of Kelaniya.

Those who played a key role in the formulation of the agreement were Professor Sarath Amunugama - Vice Chancellor and Dr. M. P. Deeyamulla - Director, Career Guidance Unit on behalf of the University of Kelaniya and Ishan Dantanarayana, Group CPO and Ashanthi Fernando, Head - Group HR Operations, on behalf of Brandix; all of whom were present at the signing of the agreement, along with Professor Sarath Kulathunga - Dean, Faculty of Science and Dr. (Mrs) Chitra Ranjani - Dean, Faculty of Commerce & Management Studies of the University of Kelaniya.

Even prior to the signing of the agreement, Brandix has been affiliated with the University of Kelaniya and has taken part in its ‘Career Fair’ since the programme’s inception five years ago. The Group has recruited a substantial number of undergraduates of the university via this annual initiative.

The Brandix Group is supported by 38 manufacturing locations in Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh. The Group provides direct employment to over 40,000 associates in total, while providing indirect employment to an equivalent number. The Group’s foray into India in the form of Brandix India Apparel City - a 1,000 acre self-sufficient industrial park - is based on the ‘Fibre to Store’ concept and uses the advantages of scale and strong business fundamentals to leverage global expertise to offer ‘total solutions’ within the site – a first of its kind in South Asia and perhaps in the world.

The pioneer of the concept of ‘total solutions’ in Sri Lanka’s apparel sector, Brandix is a preferred solutions provider to some of the world’s leading apparel brands.

Brandix Group makes largest blood donation of 2011

2012-01-23T03:56:00.000-08:00

-- 10 week campaign collects 2,277 pints of blood for NBTS --

Associates of top apparel exporter Brandix donated a record 2,277 pints of blood to the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) in 2011, reiterating their continuing commitment to the community.

This is the largest blood donation by a single institution to the NBTS in 2011. Brandix was also the largest blood donator of 2010 according to the NBTS, and exceeded that year’s contribution by 321 pints of blood in 2011.

In acknowledgement of the Group’s contribution in 2011, an award of appreciation was presented by the NBTS to Brandix at a ceremony at which the country’s largest apparel exporter pledged to continue its support with similar campaigns in the future.

Brandix has set itself a target of 2,500 pints of blood in 2012 through a series of donations at the Group’s manufacturing facilities around the country.

Brandix Casualwear Ltd, Avissawella was the largest contributor to the campaign -- conducted over a 10-week period from September to December 2011 at Brandix manufacturing facilities -- with 168 pints, followed by Brandix Essentials Central Ltd, Rambukkana with 156 pints. Over 100 pints of blood were collected at 10 locations at which the campaign was held.

“These donations by the associates of Brandix reflect the strong commitment of the Group as a whole, to the needs of the community,” said Sujith Jayasekera, Group HRM of Brandix. “Many of our associates were extremely keen to support the campaign, even more than in years before, as evidenced by the final result.”

Sujith Jayasekera, Group HRM of Brandix (left)
receives the award of appreciation from
Dr. Senarath Jayasekara, the Senior Consultant
Transfusion Physician and the Acting Director
of the National Blood Transfusion Service

Expressing his gratitude to Brandix for the Group’s contribution to the nation’s health, Dr. Senarath Jayasekara, the Senior Consultant Transfusion Physician and the Acting Director of the NBTS noted that similar donations over a significant time period are necessary to fulfil the organisation’s requirements.

Other senior officials of the NBTS present at the ceremony pointed out that by being geographically widespread, the Brandix campaign increased supplies of blood in many areas including those that did not receive donations of significant volume compared with areas like Colombo. NBTS officials also noted that Brandix’s blood donation was extra significant as there has been a decline in the response of voluntary blood donors following the end of the war.

In another community initiative conducted parallel to the blood donation campaign, Brandix distributed more than 400 low-maintenance fluoride filters to families in the North Central Province after a series of Health and Water Clinics to identify people at risk of renal failure due to poor quality drinking water. More than 1,500 families in Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Giritalé were screened with blood tests and analysis of their drinking water, for this initiative.

The Brandix Group’s principal CSR efforts are driven by the central corporate theme of ‘Care for Water: Care for Women’ and constitute a long term commitment to increasing the availability of water and the provision of safe drinking water to those most in need. The Group’s community outreach initiatives also include providing wells and pipe-borne water to communities in and around its manufacturing plants and the improvement of sanitation facilities in needy areas.

The Brandix Blood Drive in progress

Brandix pays tribute to passion and history with unique 2012 calendar

2012-01-05T04:47:00.000-08:00

Sri Lanka’s leading apparel exporter Brandix has paid tribute to the passion that gave birth to, and has sustained the textile industry, in another informative calendar that continues the Group tradition of providing more than a simple guide to the days, weeks, and months of the year.

February 2012

Commencing with the European discovery in the 1350s of cotton in India ‘..... ripening to reveal sleeping sheep....’ the 2012 Brandix calendar takes its users on a journey that recalls Kuveni at her spinning wheel at an epoch-defining moment in our history; evokes the memory of the rhythmic sounds of handlooms of a bygone era in villages across the island and culminates with an image of the precision stuttering of an industrial sewing machine, a familiar sight in the apparel factories that dot Sri Lanka.

Encompassed in this journey are uniquely Sri Lankan contributions of significance, such as the weaving of Dumbara tapestry, the batik making artistry of ‘writing in wax’ and the nimble skill of ‘beeralu’ lace making, as well as global milestones like the invention in 1589 of the knitting machine, the discovery of the first synthetic dye, the innovation of embroidery and the evolution of sewing techniques and machines.

Each page provides information in an engaging style to link the image to its place in the industry’s history, offering interesting reading and insights that appeal to a wide audience.

April 2012

Setting the tone for the pages to follow, the preamble of the calendar titled ‘The Difference is Passion’ states: “The history of the textile industry is a testament to the power of passion. From craftspeople who still weave wonder into their work to chemists who have stitched their stories into textile lore, our industry has always been driven by those who dare. At Brandix, we salute these pioneers, some famous, others living on only in their creations, for inspiring us and our work. We hope that this chronological chronicle does the same for you.”

The 2012 Brandix calendar was preceded by a trilogy titled ‘Water in Life’ (2011), ‘Water in Vessels’ (2010) and ‘Water in Reflection’ (2009). The series highlighted an often forgotten aspect of water -- its transcendental significance to diverse cultures and religions. These calendars supported the Group’s long term initiative to promote the conservation of water through advocacy and community outreach projects.

The 2012 calendar as well as the trilogy of water themed calendars were conceptualised and produced in collaboration with Brandix’s creative/marcom partner Q&E.

Brandix supports Water Safety Week with Health & Water Clinics in NCP

2011-12-07T04:37:00.001-08:00

As Sri Lanka marks National Water Safety Week (6th – 12th December), the country’s single largest apparel exporter Brandix reports that it has distributed more than 400 low-maintenance fluoride filters to families in the North Central Province after a series of Health and Water Clinics to identify people at risk of renal failure due to poor quality drinking water.

More than 1,500 families in Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Giritalé have been screened with blood tests and analysis of their drinking water over the past two and a half months at these clinics funded by Brandix under the Group’s community initiative. A similar number will be screened in the months ahead as the programme continues, the company said.

Of the families already screened, more than 400 were found to be consuming water with a fluoride content of more than 0.8 mg/litre, and were provided with filters specially-designed by Sri Lankan scientist J. P. Padmasiri, to remove fluoride from water. Brandix bore the cost of the filters, and the water samples collected from the homes of the families screened were tested at the Brandix Water Research & Training Centre at Anuradhapura, a purpose-built training and laboratory complex dedicated to improving the quality of potable water in Sri Lanka’s North Central Province.

A Brandix representative (left) presents
a fluoride filter to a needy family

“As a business group that has made access to safe drinking water its principal community project, Brandix is pleased to support governmental initiatives that have the same goal,” said Anusha Alles, Head of CSR at Brandix. “Using our associates as a link to the communities in the vicinity of our manufacturing plants, we are able to safeguard and improve the living conditions of tens of thousands of people.”

She said the blood samples taken by doctors and Medical Officers of Health (MOH) from the people already screened at the Brandix Health & Water Clinics had not to date found any persons with indications of Chronic Renal Failure. However, the drinking water of many families had fluoride content in excess of the 0.6 mg/litre deemed acceptable by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

A Brandix associate (left) with
a family that received a fluoride filter

The filters provided by Brandix to these families were propagated a few years ago by the Water Resources Board with financial assistance from Brandix. Freshly burnt broken pieces of brick are used as a filter medium which had to be replaced every three months.

Textured Jersey presents scholarship to star designer

2011-11-28T00:29:00.001-08:00

Textured Jersey PLC, a leading producer of value-added knitted fabric, has come forward to support young fashion designer Matheesha Palihawadana with a scholarship to pursue higher education in his chosen field.

Textured Jersey Director Shehan Witharana
(second from right) presents the scholarship
to Matheesha Palihawadana flanked by models
wearing two of Matheesha’s designs

A final year design student at the Academy of Design (AOD), Matheesha was awarded the scholarship in recognition of the exceptional creativity, skill and fabric research evident in the innovative designs he developed for a unique collection of evening wear with knitted fabric manufactured by Textured Jersey.

This collection was presented at a fashion show to a high-profile audience which included international designers, at the recently concluded Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF) organised by the AOD.

Textured Jersey supported the festival as its Official Fabric Partner.

“Matheesha is symbolic of the potential that exists in Sri Lanka to produce world class designers,” a spokesperson for Textured Jersey said. “We believe that investment in the development of design talent will be increasingly important for Sri Lanka’s apparel industry to move up the value chain.”

Matheesha with his collection
for Textured Jersey

Besides awarding a scholarship to Matheesha, Textured Jersey has also initiated an exchange programme with the Academy of Design to enhance the skills of Sri Lanka’s young fashion designers, as part of the company’s sustainability-driven corporate agenda. This programme will commence in January 2012.

A specialist in the manufacture of high quality, weft-knitted and dyed stretch fabrics, Textured Jersey is a supplier for top-notch international brands of the calibre of Victoria's Secret, Marks & Spencer and Intimissimi. The two major shareholders of the company are Brandix, Sri Lanka’s single largest apparel exporter and Pacific Textiles, a Hong Kong based company with one of the largest manufacturing facilities in China.

Brandix projects doubling in size in 4 years

2011-11-16T11:49:00.001-08:00

-- Supply chain representatives from 15 countries briefed on prospects & challenges at Vendor Summit in Colombo --

Sri Lanka’s single largest apparel exporter, Brandix, expects to double in size over the next four years even as it substantially reduces consumption of natural resources and shrinks its carbon footprint, a representative segment of international suppliers to the industry have been told.

Supply chain representatives from 15 countries, who were brought together in Colombo by Brandix Apparel at a high-powered Vendor Summit, were given a persuasive account of the growth of the Group over the past 10 years and a thought-provoking visage of the opportunities and potential of the future.

As a Group, Brandix has grown 47 per cent year-on-year for the past 10 years and doubled in size over the past four years despite the vicissitudes of global markets and economies, delegates to the summit learnt. This was the fourth such summit organised by Brandix for vendor partners. This year’s theme was ‘Winning Solutions.’

Brandix Director Udena Wickremesooriya said this exponential growth was also reflected in product categories as well as in customer accounts. Over just five years, companies in the Brandix Group had doubled, tripled and quadrupled, their volumes for top international labels, he said.

Stressing that “It is customer positions that drive us, not just the numbers,” Mr. Wickremesooriya explained that this growth had largely been achieved by focusing on simple fundamentals such as on-time delivery, price, speed, product and the sustainability platform, with commitments to Greener products, organic cotton, Fair Trade certifications and the Better Cotton initiative.

“The message behind all this is that there is substantial opportunity for further growth for Brandix and the Group’s vendor partners,” he said.

Elaborating on the Group’s progress in the sphere of Green manufacturing, Iresha Somaratne, Head of Environment & Energy Management at Brandix said the Group had reduced its Carbon Footprint by 22 per cent since 2009 and was well on target in achieving a 30 per cent reduction by 2012. Water consumption had been reduced by 47 per cent from 2010 to 2011, and the target of zero solid waste to landfill had been already been achieved, he said. Quoting the findings of a recent international survey, he said 50 per cent of customers had expressed a preference to buy goods and services from environment-friendly companies, and 75 per cent of them were willing to pay more for such products.

Brandix CEO Ashroff Omar in his presentation identified rapidly shrinking lead times as one of the biggest challenges for the apparel industry. The growing demand for ‘instant gratification’ by trend-driven consumers could result in manufacturers being given hours rather than days to deliver new designs within the next 18 to 24 months, he said. In order to respond, the apparel industry would have to “redefine collaboration” by finding ways to use the latest advances in information technology to completely integrate the multiple supply chains of vendors, manufacturers and retailers to create visibility and deliver flawlessly at high speed, Mr. Omar said.

He challenged the audience to find ways to use the vast amount of accumulated data at the industry’s disposal to “change the game” by enabling it to proactively drive fashion trends with technology rather than react to them.

A highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to the top vendor partners of Brandix. The award categories were Best Support Product Partner, Best Apparel Service Provider, Most Innovative Partner – Accessories, Most Innovative Partner – Textiles, Best Emerging Partner – Accessories, Best Emerging Partner – Textiles, Most Flexible Partner, Vendor of the Year – Textiles and Vendor of the Year – Accessories. The Vendor of the Year – Textiles award was conferred to Pacific Textiles, while Stretchline and Seihoi were declared joint winners of the title of Vendor of the Year – Accessories.

Top vendors: The Brandix Group’s Vendors of the Year honoured at the 2011 Vendor Summit in Colombo.
From left: Ryan Cheng from Pacific Textiles (Vendor of the Year - Textiles), Chris Sim from Sei-Hoi,
Ken Balendra, Chairman of Brandix and Niranjan Wijesekera from Stretchline.
Sei-Hoi and Stretchline were joint winners of the title of Vendor of the Year – Accessories.

The Vendor Summit was preceded by a Vendor Roadshow, at which 67 local and international vendor partners took stalls to present their goods and services.

Textured Jersey’s ‘ethical’ t-shirts to promote CSR at SLDF 2011

2011-11-07T21:34:00.000-08:00

A unique community initiative that raises funds for a worthy cause and promotes sustainability will be launched at the Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF) 2011 by Textured Jersey Lanka (Pvt) Ltd.

Under this initiative, a limited edition of 500 ‘ethical’ t-shirts designed by Diana George, a second year Graphic Design student at the Academy of Design (AOD), will be sold at the Sri Lanka Design Festival by Textured Jersey, a leading producer of value-added knitted fabric, to support the education of students living in the vicinity of the company’s manufacturing facility at Avissawella.

Graphic Design student
Diana George with her design
for Textured Jersey’s ‘ethical’ t-shirt

The front of the t-shirt portrays a stylised pigeon, the universal symbol of peace and love, in a vivid combination of red, violet, green and yellow while the back of the t-shirt features a tree, symbolic of the wellbeing of the environment and society, in the same mix of colours together with the Textured Jersey logo.

This ‘ethical’ t-shirt will be on sale from 16th to 20th November at the AOD stall, during events of the Sri Lanka Design Festival.

Textured Jersey is the Official Fabric Partner of the 2011 Sri Lanka Design Festival.

“An important aspect of this community project, which complements Textured Jersey’s socially conscious and sustainability-driven corporate agenda, is the effort to engage a wider audience in the cause,” a spokesperson for the company said.

Sustainability, eco friendly practices and contributing towards the upliftment of living standards of those living in the vicinity of its manufacturing facility feature prominently in Textured Jersey’s Corporate Social Responsibility agenda. The company has received the SA 8000 standard on Social Compliance.

In previous community initiatives the company has provided funds for the renovation and upgrade of facilities at the Avissawella Base Hospital and for the construction of houses for needy families in the area, supported rebuilding activities in the aftermath of the Tsunami and has initiated blood donation and tree planting programmes.

Textured Jersey employs one of Sri Lanka's most sophisticated production facilities for the manufacture of knitted fabrics for the intimate apparel and sportswear industries. A specialist in the manufacture of high quality, weft-knitted and dyed stretch fabrics, Textured Jersey is a supplier for top-notch international brands of the calibre of Victoria's Secret, Marks & Spencer and Intimissimi. The two major shareholders of the company are Brandix, Sri Lanka’s single largest apparel exporter and Pacific Textiles, a Hong Kong based company with one of the largest manufacturing facilities in China.

Textured Jersey to knit new dimension at SLDF 2011

2011-10-25T06:03:00.000-07:00

-- Official fabric partner to take initiative in promoting new applications for knitted fabric --

A creative and colourful initiative that employs the fashion catwalk to highlight the untapped potential of knitted fabric will be unveiled by Textured Jersey, Sri Lanka’s pre-eminent producer of value-added knitted fabric, at the third edition of the Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF).

In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Textured Jersey, the official Fabric Partner of the 2011 Festival, will present a ‘glamorous’ facet of the knitted fabric it produces, the use of which is largely limited to the production of intimate apparel by the company’s international customers.

The final year students of the Academy of Design
who are designing Textured Jersey’s evening wear collection

Elegant evening wear specially designed by a group of final year students of the Academy of Design and produced with a range of Textured Jersey’s knitted fabric will be presented by models at three fashion shows during the festival.

On 19th and 20th November these unique designs will be presented to a distinguished audience comprising of top-notch local and international designers and high profile personalities from the apparel sector as a part of the main industrial show of the SLDF.

These designs will also be presented on 18th November at a fashion show organised by the Academy of Design for students.

The Academy jointly organises the Sri Lanka Design Festival, the country’s most prestigious annual celebration of design, craft, fashion and apparel, with the government and key industry stakeholders including the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF).

Textured Jersey is the first textile mill in the backward integrated supply chain to sponsor this prestigious annual event.

“The sponsorship of this premier design festival presents an ideal forum for Textured Jersey to raise awareness among key target groups of the diverse array of applications possible for knitted fabric,” a spokesperson for the company said. “The new dimension we present could open up an exciting new avenue for the apparel industry.”

Complementing its sustainability driven business approach, Textured Jersey will also contribute towards the enhancement of skills of Sri Lanka’s young fashion designers by initiating an exchange programme in collaboration with the Academy of Design. The programme will commence in January 2012.

Brandix to sponsor ‘National Safety and Health Conference’ for 4th year

2011-10-03T21:09:00.000-07:00

Top apparel exporter Brandix has reiterated its commitment to promoting best practices in health and occupational safety, by once again supporting the ‘National Safety and Health Conference,’ the apex national conference in the sphere.

Brandix is supporting the event this year as the Main Sponsor for the second consecutive time and the fourth time overall. Themed ‘Prevention of occupational diseases and injuries through a safety culture,’ this high powered conference is scheduled to be held at the Galadari Hotel in Colombo, on the 14th of October. It is organised by the National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) together with the Ministry of Labour Relations and Manpower.

The event will consist of a number of technical sessions and is expected to be attended by over 350 participants from different sectors of industry. The conference will be inaugurated by the Minister of Labour and Labour Relations, Gamini Lokuge and will be the highlight of the ‘National Safety and Health Week’ which will begin on 10th October.

“Brandix has always upheld the highest levels of safety and health within its factories and work places, as the Group believes its strength lies in a happy and healthy workforce,” the Group’s Chief Risk Officer, Mrs. Aroshi Perera said. “Thus, with the support of our customers -- global clothing giants such as Victoria’s Secret, GAP and Marks & Spencer -- Brandix has developed world-class practices in the sphere of occupational health and safety.”

Aroshi Perera, Chief Risk Officer
of the Brandix Group (left) presents
the sponsorship cheque
to Dr. Champika Amarasinghe,
the Director General of the
National Institute of Occupational
Safety and Health

“The continued sponsorship of the conference enables Brandix to partner the Government in taking this message across the country in a sustained manner in an effort to upgrade the safety and health standards of Sri Lankan industry,” she added.

“Brandix’s support to the conference has helped to raise its profile,” said Dr. Champika Amarasinghe, Director General of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. “The commitment and cooperation of the private sector is essential to improve health and safety standards in the workplace and Brandix has taken the initiative in this regard.”

The Brandix Group, the pioneer of the concept of ‘total solutions’ in Sri Lanka’s apparel sector, is supported by 35 manufacturing locations in Sri Lanka and several sourcing offices strategically located regionally and internationally. The Group provides direct employment to over 35,000 Associates and indirect employment to an equivalent number. Brandix is a preferred solutions provider to some of the world’s leading apparel brands, including Victoria’s Secret, PINK, Gap, Banana Republic, Marks & Spencer, Lands’ End, Tommy Hilfiger, Hanes, Express, H&M, Old Navy, Intimissimi and Tesco.

Brandix crowned Asia’s ‘Best Brand’ & ‘Best Employer Brand’

2011-07-27T04:17:00.000-07:00

Colombo, Wednesday, 27th July 2011: Brandix Lanka Limited has been recognised as Asia’s ‘Best Brand’ and ‘Best Employer Brand’ winning dual honours at a prestigious international forum held in Singapore with the representation of 37 countries in Asia, extending from the Middle East to Australia.

Sri Lanka’s top apparel exporter was presented with the awards for ‘Asia’s Best Brand’ by the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council and ‘Asia’s Best Employer Brand’ by the Employer Branding Institute together with the World HRD Congress and the Stars of the Industry Group at the 2011 CMO Asia Awards for Excellence in Branding and Marketing.

Brandix Group Chief People Officer Ishan Dantanarayana

(Left) and Head of Corp. Communications Anuk De Silva

(Right) with the awards won by Brandix

Ishan Dantanarayana, Chief People Officer (CPO) of the Brandix Group accepted the award for ‘Asia’s Best Employer Brand’ on behalf of the Group, while Anuk De Silva, Head of Corporate Communications of Brandix collected the award for ‘Asia’s Best Brand.’ Ms. Ashanthi Fernando, Head of Group HR Operations and Sujith Jayasekara, Group Works HR Manager of Brandix also attended the event which was held at the SUNTEC Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre on 22nd July 2011.

The gala awards ceremony was attended by more than 200 eminent individuals in the region including leaders and senior decision makers in the spheres of Marketing, Branding and Human Resources as well as top bureaucrats.

Asia’s Best Brand Awards are judged by the Global Research Cell of the CMO Council - whose members control over US $ 200 billion in marketing spend - based on market dominance, brand longevity, goodwill, customer loyalty and market acceptance. Apart from financial aspects, ‘contribution to society’ is also considered for the awards. Brandix’s commitment to reducing its Group-wide processing Carbon Footprint and its employee-friendly practices were cited among the reasons for awarding the Group top honours in the category.

Brandix was conferred Asia’s Best Employer Brand Award -- initiated as a celebration of the best talent in Human Resources Development in the region -- based on the Group’s strength in HR initiatives. These practices include, creating a culture of contribution and innovation at work, believing in a continuous journey of excellence in Human Resource policy and practices by driving a positive organisational health and inculcating values that help to achieve the vision, transformation, being a social employer and developing future leaders.

Some of the other prominent winners in this year’s Best Employer Brand award category were General Electric, Coca Cola, Microsoft, Oracle, HSBC, Yahoo!, Singapore Airlines, ANZ Bank, Hindustan Unilever, Marriott, Changi Airport, Panasonic, Emirates, Pfizer, Walmart, Lenovo, AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines, Prudential, Fuji Xerox, National Bank of Bahrain, Hong Kong Disneyland, Dubai Airports, LG Electronics, Nokia Siemens and Procter & Gamble.

“Brandix has once again demonstrated that its HR practices match the best global standards and are fully aligned with business strategy,” Brandix Group CPO Ishan Dantanarayana said. “The Best Brand Award reflects the Group’s success in developing a mature brand across multiple industries, not just the apparel sector.”

For the Best Brand award category, Brandix was in the company of other elite brands such as Adidas, Coca Cola, Emirates, Fonterra Brands, General Electric, Hewlett Packard, Nestle, Nokia, A.S. Watson Group, Doha Bank, HSBC, MediaCorp, Starbucks, Telstra Corporation, Thai Airways, Procter & Gamble and MasterCard.

In the area of Human Resources Development, Brandix has engaged in a number of HR initiatives under the theme ‘a Great Place to Work.’ Intended to create avenues and opportunities for associates and build a culture of striving for excellence, appreciation, team spirit, commitment and camaraderie; these initiatives encompass Employee Reward & Recognition, Compensation & Benefit, Training & Development and a centralised Performance Management System. It also entails striving for execution, a service driven HR, sharing of best practices, automation and brand building.

As a top brand in apparel manufacture, Brandix is credited with being the pioneer of the concept of ‘total solutions’ in Sri Lanka’s apparel sector and as a local and global leader in eco-friendly manufacturing operations. Brandix is a preferred solutions provider to some of the world’s leading apparel brands, including Victoria’s Secret, PINK, Gap, Banana Republic, Marks & Spencer, Lands’ End, Tommy Hilfiger, Hanes, Express, H&M, Old Navy, Intimissimi and Tesco.

Brandix first apparel maker in the world to get ISO 50001

2011-07-20T02:02:00.000-07:00

Colombo, Wednesday, 20th July 2011: The Brandix Group has achieved another global first for Sri Lanka by becoming the first apparel manufacturer in the world to receive ISO 50001, less than a month after the stringent Energy Management Systems standard was introduced by the International Standards Organisation.

On Thursday 14th July 2011, auditors from Det Norske Veritas (DNV) - Netherlands confirmed that the Brandix Eco Centre at Seeduwa, a 130,000 square foot Green factory producing apparel for Marks & Spencer (M&S) was compliant with ISO 50001:2011, a standard that became official worldwide on 17th June 2011.

With this certification, Brandix also became only the third manufacturing entity worldwide across all sectors of industry to be ISO 50001 certified, and the only apparel producer in this ultra exclusive group.

Due to the fact the Brandix factory had already achieved and maintained compliance well before the standard was released, it was able to obtain this certification in a short time period, whereas normal certification could take up to three months, officials said.

A section of the ISO 50001 certified
Brandix Green factory in Seeduwa

This is the second time that the Brandix Group and its Green factory have achieved global firsts for Sri Lanka’s apparel industry. In April 2008 the Brandix Eco Centre became the first apparel factory in the world to receive a Platinum rating from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System of the US Green Building Council (USGBC). It has also been commended as a global model for sustainable production by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and in Britain’s House of Lords.

“Periodic achievements of compliance with the world’s most stringent environmental standards are important milestones in our road map to reaching the highest possible levels of sustainable manufacture,” Brandix Director AJ Johnpillai said. “They are also critical to positioning the capability and commitment of Sri Lanka’s apparel industry to eco-friendly operations, and represent a significant competitive advantage.”

The latest standard introduced by the International Standards Organisation, ISO 50001: 2011 establishes a framework for industrial plants, commercial facilities or entire organisations to manage energy with a strong focus on continuous improvement. The organisation has announced that the objective of the new standard is to address the present day energy crisis by encouraging greater energy efficiency and thereby achieving reduction in energy consumption by industry.

The Brandix Green factory currently consumes an average 6,800 kWh of energy daily. This represents a saving of 46 per cent after it was redesigned as an eco-friendly manufacturing facility. The factory has also achieved a reduction of carbon emissions by 64 per cent, a reduction of water consumption of 63 per cent and zero solid waste to landfill.

Elaborating on the need for standards such as ISO 50001, Iresha Somaratne, the Head of Environment & Energy Management at Brandix said: “More than one billion people in Africa, Asia and South America have no access to proper energy. To address this problem without increasing carbon emissions, it has been estimated that global industry will have to reduce energy consumption by 40 per cent. At Brandix, we look at local as well as global priorities in our drive for environment-friendly manufacture.”

Enterprise-wide energy conservation initiatives at Brandix have resulted in a reduction of CO2 and CO2 equivalent emissions from 86,322 MT in 2008 to 71,936 MT in 2010, shrinking the Group’s carbon footprint by 17 per cent. By the end of 2011, the Group expects to reduce emissions to 66,000 MT, despite expansion of manufacturing capacities.

A sophisticated web-based real-time monitoring system built on the EnteliWEB platform enables Brandix management to track energy and water consumption and Greenhouse Gas emissions at manufacturing facilities on a single screen dashboard, ensuring that reduction targets are being met and maintained.

The Brandix Group is on target to achieve its goal of a 30 per cent reduction of its carbon footprint by 2012, with 2008 as the base year. In a symbolic demonstration of support to the cause, Brandix associates recently marked World Environment Day by travelling to their workplaces by carpooling, walking or using public transport. An estimated reduction of 800 kg of carbon emissions was achieved through this initiative, an amount which takes 20 days for a hectare of rain forest to absorb.

Brandix has consistently been at the forefront of national and global efforts to adopt eco-friendly manufacture. It was honoured with the country’s apex award for energy conservation at the first ever Sri Lanka National Energy Efficiency Awards in 2010. The Group now has three LEED certified facilities in Sri Lanka.

The pioneer of the concept of ‘total solutions’ in Sri Lanka’s apparel sector, Brandix is a preferred solutions provider to some of the world’s leading apparel brands, including Victoria’s Secret, PINK, Gap, Banana Republic, Marks & Spencer, Lands’ End, Tommy Hilfiger, Hanes, Express, H&M, Old Navy, Intimissimi and Tesco. The Group specializes in casual bottoms, underwear, lounge and sleepwear, bras, textiles, knitted and woven fabrics, sewing and embroidery thread, accessories and hangers, and also offers wet processing, finishing and fabric printing.

Country's Leading Knit Fabric Manufacturer to go Public

2011-06-20T07:43:00.000-07:00

Colombo, Monday, June 20, 2011; Textured Jersey Lanka Limited (Company), a joint venture between Pacific Textured Jersey Holdings Limited, a fully owned subsidiary of the Hong Kong listed Pacific Textiles Holdings Limited (Pacific Textiles), and Sri Lanka’s Brandix Lanka Limited (Brandix Lanka), has been granted approval by the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) for a listing on its Main Board. The subscription list for the IPO will open on 7th July 2011 and applications will be accepted from 27th June 2011.

Textured Jersey Lanka Limited

Textured Jersey Lanka Limited, the country’s pre-eminent producer of value-added knitted fabric, which specializes in the manufacture of high quality, weft-knitted and dyed stretch fabrics, is a major supplier to apparel manufacturers throughout Asia and end-chain retailers such as Marks & Spencer, Victoria’s Secret and Intimissimi. The Company is issuing a 12.21% stake or 80,000,000 new ordinary voting shares at a price of Rs. 15/- per share, to raise funds for the expansion of production facilities and to purchase state-of-the-art machinery to increase its production scale and efficiency.

Both Pacific Textiles and Brandix Lanka completed a placement of a total of 116,000,000 shares, which amounts to 17.71% of the Company (post- IPO) to certain qualified investors before the IPO as a private sell down in May 2011. The consideration for the pre-IPO placement was Rs. 15/- per share, which is the same price as the IPO share price. Subsequent to the IPO, Pacific Textiles, through its wholly owned subsidiary Pacific Textured Jersey Holdings Limited, and Brandix Lanka, will collectively hold 70.08% of the total issued shares of the Company.

With the backing of two strong shareholders, the listing would enable the Company to take advantage of potential growth opportunities in both Sri Lanka and the South Asian region, and also provide a separate independent platform to raise funds from capital markets to support its future growth aspirations. The Company remains confident in mitigating the challenge posed by the recent volatility in cotton prices, given its ability to pass on these industry generic costs, and with commodity prices also having recently declined.

For the year ended 31st March 2011, the Company recorded a revenue of USD 83.2mn (LKR 9,284.6mn) and a net profit after tax of USD 6.1mn (LKR 684.7mn) which represented 15% and 23% YoY growth respectively. The Company has a strong financial track record, with five year revenue and net profit CAGRs of 25% and 21% respectively, during a period of multiple challenges for the apparel industry.

Textured Jersey is being advised by investment bankers Acuity Partners (Private) Limited and CT Capital (Pvt) Ltd., who are also the joint managers to the issue.

The Hong Kong listed Pacific Textiles is a leading manufacturer of customized knitted fabric in the global textile industry, with a focus on complex, value-added fabrics. It has one of the largest textile manufacturing facilities in China, and provides integrated services of knitting, dyeing, printing and finishing.

Brandix has been accredited as Sri Lanka’s single largest apparel exporter. Having pioneered the concept of ‘total solutions’ in Sri Lanka’s apparel sector, Brandix is a preferred solutions provider to some of the world’s leading apparel brands.

Brandix & Sri J’pura University to promote academic excellence

2011-05-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka’s top apparel exporter Brandix is to collaborate with the University of Sri Jayewardenepura to stimulate and reward academic excellence at the University’s Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce (FMSC).

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) entered into by the two organisations envisages that Brandix will fund the award annually of a Gold Medal to the best student in the faculty’s BSc. Operations and Technology Management (Special) degree programme and will provide internships at 18 of the Group’s Strategic Business Units (SBUs) for its graduates and undergraduates.

Dr. N. L. A. Karunaratne, Vice-Chancellor of the University
of Sri Jayewardenepura (Left) and Ishan Dantanarayana,
Chief People Officer of the Brandix Group exchange copies of the agreement.
Dr. S. T. W. S. Yapa - Head of the Department of Decision Sciences
(extreme left), Professor S. P. P. Amaratunga - Dean of the Faculty of
Management Studies and Commerce (2nd Left) and Ashanthi Fernando,
Head - Group HR Operations of Brandix are also in the picture.

The MoU was formally signed by Mr. Ishan Dantanarayana, Chief People Officer (CPO) of the Brandix Group and Dr. N. L. A. Karunaratne, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

“Collaborations of this nature are the need of the hour to empower the country’s future leaders by providing them with the exposure that matches global standards necessary for their professional development,” said Ishan Dantanarayana. “The agreement sets an important precedent, since it contributes to the alignment of the nation’s future leaders with the needs of the apparel sector, by bringing together academia and the largest corporate entity in the sphere.”

This view was reiterated by Dr. N. L. A. Karunaratne in his speech at the event. He commended Brandix for its role in empowering the youth by providing them valuable exposure and for the Group’s employee-friendly practices. Dr. Karunaratne noted that public and private partnerships were the ideal models of growth in a globalised economy. He added that many of the graduates of the University have already been provided employment within Brandix.

Professor S. P. P. Amaratunga, the Dean of the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, said that it was the responsibility of the students to make full use of the opportunity extended to them by Brandix through this agreement.

Dr. S. T. W. S. Yapa, the Head of the Department of Decision Sciences, who worked very closely with Ms. Ashanthi Fernando, Head - Group HR Operations of Brandix, to formulate the MoU, noted that the agreement between the premier apparel exporter and the University with the largest and the finest management faculty in the country was a landmark event.

A prospectus prepared for the students of the Department of Decision Sciences was also launched at the event.

The Brandix Group is supported by 33 manufacturing locations island-wide, in addition to other facilities in the South Asian region, and strategically located international sourcing offices globally. The Group provides direct employment to approximately 35,000 associates while providing indirect employment to an equivalent number.

The pioneer of the concept of ‘total solutions’ in Sri Lanka’s apparel sector, Brandix is a preferred solutions provider to some of the world’s leading apparel brands, including Victoria’s Secret, PINK, Gap, Banana Republic, Marks & Spencer, Lands’ End, Tommy Hilfiger, Hanes, Express, H&M, Old Navy, Intimissimi and Tesco. The Group specializes in casual bottoms, underwear, lounge and sleepwear, bras, textiles, knitted and woven fabrics, sewing and embroidery thread, accessories and hangers, and also offers wet processing, finishing and fabric printing.

Brandix Mercury Asia receives ISO 27001:2005

2011-05-11T05:59:00.000-07:00

Brandix Mercury Asia, the sophisticated Business Services subsidiary of the Brandix Group has obtained ISO 27001:2005, the global best practice specification in the sphere of Information Security Management Systems (ISMS), reaffirming its commitment to the continuous enhancement of systems and processes.

Brandix Mercury Asia becomes the first member of the Brandix Group across India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to receive this prestigious accreditation and joins a handful of elite corporate entities in Sri Lanka that have done so to date.

The certification, issued by International Certification Services (ICS) Pvt. Ltd. of Mumbai, covers Information Security Management Systems in the operation of a ‘Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO)/Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) centre to provide services for global apparel retailers, manufacturers, supply chain partners and associated industries.’

This is the second milestone achieved by Brandix Mercury Asia within a period of 13 months in its progression into a driver of process standardisation, process documentation and the harmonisation of accounting standards and practices across all businesses of the Group. In March 2010 it obtained ISO 9001:2008 compliance for its processes and documentation.

“Obtaining ISO 27001:2005 is an important achievement that could contribute significantly to the growth of Brandix Mercury,” said Ishan Pethiyagoda, Team Leader - Strategic Enablement at Brandix Mercury Asia. “Information security is a key consideration of businesses when choosing a BPO/KPO services provider. Therefore, by leveraging this globally recognised standard, Brandix Mercury is now positioned to extend its services to external parties, either in the domestic market or in the international arena.”

He said that complying with the standard was a highly challenging task since, aspects such as physical access to information was considered in the evaluation process of awarding the accreditation.

Ishan Pethiyagoda - Team Leader -
Strategic Enablement at Brandix Mercury
Asia (right) presents the ISO 27001:2005
certificate to Brandix CEO Ashroff Omar

Handing over the ISO certificate to Brandix CEO Ashroff Omar, Mr. Pethiyagoda pledged that the associates of Brandix Mercury Asia were fully committed to maintain and further enhance standards.

Brandix Mercury’s bid for ISO 27001:2005 commenced with a gap analysis in August 2010. The final audit was carried out eight months later in March this year.

Brandix Mercury Asia is responsible for the alignment of all financial accounting policies with Group policy and goals. It provides centralised transaction processing and decision-support to the business units of Brandix with the objective of moving their respective processes from different schools of thought to best practices that lead to long term value creation. The Centre’s remit covers people, processes and technology and its role spans driving process excellence, customer satisfaction and cost reduction, managing risk and measuring and monitoring business performance.

The pioneer of the concept of ‘total solutions’ in Sri Lanka’s apparel sector, Brandix is a preferred solutions provider to some of the world’s leading apparel brands, including Victoria’s Secret, PINK, Gap, Banana Republic, Marks & Spencer, Lands’ End, Tommy Hilfiger, Hanes, Express, H&M, Old Navy, Intimissimi and Tesco. The Group specializes in casual bottoms, underwear, lounge and sleepwear, bras, textiles, knitted and woven fabrics, sewing and embroidery thread, accessories and hangers, and also offers wet processing and finishing and fabric printing.

Brandix lauded at Britain’s House of Lords

2011-05-05T05:28:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka’s top apparel exporter Brandix has been commended as a role model for environment and employee friendly ethical manufacture at the House of Lords, the ‘Upper House’ of the British Parliament.

Lord Sheikh

During a debate on ‘Ethical and Sustainable Fashion’, Lord Sheikh, Conservative, a prominent personality in the House of Lords, said: “I was recently a member of the parliamentary delegation to Sri Lanka, where we were taken to a factory belonging to Brandix, which makes garments for Marks & Spencer. The factory was eco-friendly, the working conditions were excellent and the staff were well paid. Such a factory is a role model for others to emulate.”

Lord Sheikh (Life Baron Mohamed Iltaf Sheikh of Cornhill) was one of 11 members of a high-profile Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) delegation that toured the Brandix Green Factory at Seeduwa during a visit to the country last year at the invitation of the Parliament of Sri Lanka. Among the other members of this contingent were British Parliamentarians Paul Murphy – head of the delegation, Stephen Hammond, David Amess and Fiona O’Donnell. The visit was arranged due to the interest expressed by the members of the group to visit a garment factory in Sri Lanka during their visit.

Lord Sheikh during his tour of the
Brandix Green Plant last year

“The Brandix Eco Centre is representative of the best practices and processes of the Group and therefore Lord Sheikh’s statement regarding the plant as a model for the industry is more than just a commendation of that facility,” Brandix Director AJ Johnpillai said. “It is an endorsement of our enterprise-wide environment and employee friendly corporate agenda. We are gratified by the commendation of a highly respected member of the House of Lords.”

The Brandix Green Plant was also previously commended by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) as a global benchmark for sustainable production.

In his speech, Lord Sheikh also stressed on the importance of not sacrificing decent working conditions and polluting the environment in the pursuit of cost reductions in the production of garments, the concept at the core of the business ethic of the Brandix Group. The Group has invested substantially on the welfare of its employees and on initiatives that promote sustainability, Mr. Johnpillai said.

Brandix provides direct employment to 30,000 associates across 32 manufacturing facilities. The Group contributes to the enhancement of the living standards of its associates, many of whom are from rural backgrounds, through employee specific initiatives such as the ‘Care for our Own’ CSR programme through which water and sanitation facilities are provided for needy associates of the Group, the Marks & Start programme which supports the differently-abled, ‘Brandix Ran Daru Scholarships’ awarded to the children and siblings of non-executive employees, the Chairman’s Fund, Worker’s Councils, Employee Loans and Medical Insurance.

The CPA delegation that toured
the Brandix Green Plant last year

Brandix is also at the forefront of national and global efforts to adopt eco-friendly manufacture. The Group had succeeded in reducing its Carbon footprint by 17 per cent in 2010 and plans an overall 30 per cent reduction by 2012. It was honoured with the country’s apex award for energy conservation at the first ever Sri Lanka National Energy Efficiency Awards in 2010. The Brandix Eco Centre at Seeduwa is the first Green Apparel Factory in the world to be rated Platinum under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System of the US Green Building Council (USGBC).

The pioneer of the concept of ‘total solutions’ in Sri Lanka’s apparel sector, Brandix is a preferred solutions provider to some of the world’s leading apparel brands, including Victoria’s Secret, PINK, Gap, Banana Republic, Marks & Spencer, Lands’ End, Tommy Hilfiger, Hanes, Express, H&M, Intimissimi and Tesco. The Group specializes in casual bottoms, underwear, lounge and sleepwear, bras, textiles, knitted and woven fabrics, sewing and embroidery thread, accessories and hangers, and also offers wet processing and finishing and fabric printing.

Brandix pays tribute to outstanding associates

2011-04-07T10:56:00.000-07:00

Thirty six members of the non-executive cadre who have excelled in performance and made significant contributions to the success of top apparel exporter Brandix in 2010 were recently rewarded at the second edition of the Group’s annual ‘Employee of the Year’ awards programme.

These outstanding associates, as Brandix employees are referred to within the Group, will in addition to their rewards be provided a valuable opportunity to further enhance their skills through study tours to India, China and Bangladesh in appreciation of their efforts, the Group said. Exemplary contributions of three factory Supervisors were also among those recognised this year.

Mementos and special insignia that can be worn with their uniforms were also presented to 18 female associates and 15 male associates, by their respective parents and spouses at a ceremony at the National Youth Centre in Maharagama. The event commenced with the men’s and women’s finals of the Group’s inaugural Inter-plant Volleyball Tournament for the ‘Mercury Challenge Trophy’ (Rasadiya Kusalaanaya).

Seventeen of the associates chosen through the Employee of the Year programme will visit India on study tours while eight associates each will visit China and Bangladesh. Each of the three chosen Supervisors will also visit one of these countries.

“Rewarding the commitment and efforts of our associates is an important aspect of the caring and inclusive corporate culture of Brandix,” said Colonel Sujith Jayasekara, Group HR Manager - Works HR of Brandix. “The valuable exposure and training that they receive will contribute significantly to further professional development and enhance their prospects.”

The chosen associates shared their experiences on how their lives have been enriched after joining Brandix, when they were hosted for an informal tea session with the Group CEO.

Associates were chosen for the Employee of the Year awards through a stringent process based on a broad range of criteria including Key Performance Indicator (KPI) achievements, efficiency, absenteeism and other additional assessments.

Apart from initiatives that reward associates for significant contributions, Brandix also conducts numerous programmes that empower the Group’s workforce by strengthening ties between associates. The Inter-plant Volleyball Tournament was introduced in this spirit, the Group said. This was subsequent to the successful completion of the Brandix Group Sports Fest which was held last year to exhibit the sporting talents of the executive cadre. Sports and team events are a frequent occurrence at Brandix, where diverse sports are promoted to drive team spirit.

The Group also contributes to the enhancement of living standards of its associates, many of whom are from rural backgrounds, through employee specific initiatives such as the ‘Care for our Own’ CSR programme through which water and sanitation facilities are provided for needy associates of the Group, the Marks & Start programme which supports the differently-abled, ‘Brandix Ran Daru Scholarships’ awarded to the children and siblings of non-executive employees, the Chairman’s Fund, Worker’s Councils, Employee Loans and Medical Insurance.

The Brandix Group is supported by 32 manufacturing locations island-wide, in addition to other facilities in the South Asian region, and strategically located international sourcing offices globally, and directly employs over 30,000 associates in Sri Lanka whilst providing indirect employment to an equivalent number.

The pioneer of the concept of ‘total solutions’ in Sri Lanka’s apparel sector, Brandix is a preferred solutions provider to some of the world’s leading apparel brands, including Victoria’s Secret, PINK, Gap, Banana Republic, Marks & Spencer, Lands’ End, Tommy Hilfiger, Hanes, Express, H&M, Intimissimi and Tesco. The Group specializes in casual bottoms, underwear, lounge and sleepwear, bras, textiles, knitted and woven fabrics, sewing and embroidery thread, accessories and hangers, and also offers wet processing and finishing and fabric printing.

Textured Jersey’s Rs 1.74 billion pre-IPO share placement well received

2011-04-06T05:50:00.000-07:00

Textured Jersey Lanka (Private) Limited (Textured Jersey), a joint venture between Hong Kong listed Pacific Textiles Holdings Limited (Pacific Textiles) and Sri Lanka’s Brandix Lanka Limited (Brandix), had invited for the application of a Rs 1.74 billion pre-IPO share placement, prior to seeking a listing on the Main Board of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE).

A 20% stake in Textured Jersey was to be divested by its existing shareholders to qualified investors during the pre-IPO share placement last week, with the issue being comfortably oversubscribed despite it being offered to only selected investors, with a minimum subscription threshold in excess of Rs 50 million.

The Company expects to shortly submit its IPO listing application to the CSE, wherein a further 10% of Textured Jersey is proposed to be offered to the broader investing public by way of a fresh issue of shares at the same pre-IPO placement price, subject to receiving CSE approval for same. This new issue is expected to raise Rs 1.2 billion, with approximately 30% of Textured Jersey to be in the hands of the public post-listing on the CSE.

Mr. Bill Lam, Chief Executive Officer of Pacific Textiles Holdings and Director of Textured Jersey Lanka, said that the listing would enable Textured Jersey to take advantage of potential growth opportunities in both Sri Lanka and the South Asian region. “High global cotton prices is an industry-wide headwind at present, but we believe this will facilitate industry consolidation in the longer term as stronger players continue to gain market share” said Mr. Bill Lam. Cotton plantings acreage would also increase in response to the higher prices, stated Mr. Bill Lam.

Textured Jersey is one of Sri Lanka's most sophisticated production facilities, manufacturing knitted fabrics for the intimate apparel and sportswear industries. Specializing in the manufacture of high quality, weft-knitted and dyed stretch fabrics, Textured Jersey is a major supplier to apparel manufacturers throughout Asia and end-chain retailers. Amongst its largest clients are Victoria's Secret, Marks & Spencer and Intimissimi. Infrastructure at the 650,000 sq. ft. facility in Avissawella enables a capacity to knit, dye and finish up to 2.5 million meters of fabric a month.

Despite facing challenges in the form of rising cotton prices, high energy costs and loss of tariff concessions, Textured Jersey has delivered strong financial results during the past five years, with net profits rising at a CAGR of 22% to US$ 5.0 million in the year ended 31st March 2010.

Mr. Ashroff Omar, Chief Executive Officer of Brandix and Director of Textured Jersey, said that the Company was both honoured and humbled by the confidence and trust placed by investors in Textured Jersey, and emphasized that the listing would provide Textured Jersey with greater operational flexibility and a separate independent platform to raise funds from the capital markets to support its future growth aspirations. “Knitted fabric is the fastest growing segment of the Sri Lankan apparel export market, which is growing strongly even after the end of the GSP+ concessions in August 2010, and Textured Jersey is the country’s pre-eminent producer of value-added knitted fabric” stated Mr. Omar.

The Hong Kong listed Pacific Textiles is a leading manufacturer of customized knitted fabric in the global textile industry, with a focus on complex, value-added fabrics. It has one of the largest textile manufacturing facilities in China, and provides integrated services of knitting, dyeing, printing and finishing, with an annual production capacity of approximately 87 million kg. PTH reported a 21% YoY increase in revenue for six months ended 30th September 2010 to HK$ 3.7 billion, with net profit attributable to shareholders rising by 17% YoY during the same period to HK$ 453 million.

Brandix has been accredited as Sri Lanka’s largest apparel exporter. Being the pioneer of the concept of ‘total solutions’ in Sri Lanka’s apparel sector, Brandix is a preferred solutions provider to some of the world’s leading apparel brands, including Victoria’s Secret, PINK, Gap, Banana Republic, Marks & Spencer, Lands’ End, Tommy Hilfiger, Hanes, Express, H&M, Intimissimi and Tesco. The Group specializes in casual bottoms, underwear, lounge and sleepwear, bras, textiles, knitted and woven fabrics, sewing and embroidery thread, accessories and hangers, and also offers wet processing and finishing and fabric printing. The Brandix Group is supported by 32 manufacturing locations island-wide, in addition to other facilities in the South Asian region, and strategically located international sourcing offices, and directly employs over 30,000 associates in Sri Lanka.

Textured Jersey Lanka is being advised by investment bankers CT Capital (Pvt) Ltd and Acuity Partners (Private) Limited, who are also acting as managers to the capital raising and listing exercise.

Brandix expands into bras

2011-03-22T01:57:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka’s top apparel exporter Brandix has announced a major addition to its portfolio, following the acquisition of full ownership of Comfortwear (Pvt) Ltd., the Group’s former joint venture with Lanka Equities.

Associates at Brandix Lingerie

The new cluster, Brandix Lingerie, formally launched on 1st March 2011, will see the Group emerge as a key player in the manufacture of high end specialty bras and complementary coordinates for global high street labels such as Marks & Spencer, H&M, and Victoria’s Secret, the announcement said.

The two manufacturing facilities of Comfortwear in the Wathupitiwala Export Processing Zone in Nittambuwa, which have been under Brandix management since December 2008, have been restructured into a focused Bra/Lingerie facility that complements the Group’s extensive product offering in categories such as casualwear, intimates, briefs, textiles, knits and accessories, Brandix Group Director AJ Johnpillai said.

Brandix Lingerie also acquired a third manufacturing facility within the zone in October 2010 in order to achieve the scale and capacity that its key customers require, and is looking at further expansion and consolidation of its lingerie manufacturing capacity within the region, he disclosed.

According to Brandix Lingerie Director Dave Ranasinghe, “Specialty lingerie, particularly core and fashion bras, is a category with tremendous potential and the Brandix Group is making a substantial commitment through financial investment and recruitment of technical competencies to integrate this segment into its portfolio.” The Group has also invested in a Joint Venture with key stakeholders located within the Brandix India Apparel City (BIAC) in Andhra Pradesh for the manufacture of bras to attain the depth and scale to be a regionally significant supplier in the future, he added.

From left: Rajiv Malalasekera, CEO of Brandix Lingerie,
AJ Johnpillai, Group Director of Brandix and
Wansapriya Gunaseela, COO of Brandix Lingerie
at Brandix Lingerie

Brandix Lingerie CEO Rajiv Malalasekera said: “There was an identified need for expansion of our capacity in this product category considering Brandix’s position as a preferred supplier across varied product categories to established retail brands with a global presence. There is also a visible shift by large retailers into the region to source specialty lingerie which requires skilled labor and affordable and reliable capacity aligned with fashion lead time requirements. Hence there is an opportunity for Brandix to be a bigger player in this segment.”

Disclosing that the Brandix-managed Comfortwear plant had already been rated among the top suppliers to Marks & Spencer in its specific lingerie product category, he said the Group has retained and further enhanced the facility’s core competency of skilled lingerie manufacture, having brought in best practices and processes from the Brandix Group into the business during the management takeover.

Mr. Malalasekera also added that as a responsible business entity playing a lead role in the sustainable creation of employment opportunities, the consolidation of business under Brandix Lingerie would help retain and rejuvenate the workforce within the industry and thereby contribute further towards the country’s export earnings.

A centralized warehouse and processing facility has already been set up on-site to serve all three manufacturing plants of Brandix Lingerie, a business that now employs 2,600 people, Mr. Malalasekera said. The number of employees deployed is expected to increase by a further 20 per cent by the second half of the year, and the company is considering acquiring more capacity in due course, he revealed.

Brandix Lingerie would continue to work closely with its UK-based design partner (FSV) in supplying the fashion lingerie manufacturing needs of Marks & Spencer, one of its principal customers, and has invested in new machinery to strengthen its capability in specialty lingerie, Mr. Malalasekera added.

The pioneer of the concept of ‘total solutions’ in Sri Lanka’s apparel sector, Brandix is a preferred solutions provider to some of the world’s leading apparel brands, including Victoria’s Secret, PINK, Gap, Banana Republic, Marks & Spencer, Lands’ End, Tommy Hilfiger, Hanes, Express, H&M, Intimissimi and Tesco. The Group specializes in casual bottoms, underwear, lounge and sleepwear, bras, textiles, knitted and woven fabrics, sewing and embroidery thread, accessories and hangers, and also offers wet processing and finishing and fabric printing.

Pacific Textiles and Brandix Lanka Joint Venture to seek listing on CSE

2011-03-21T02:04:00.000-07:00

The Board of Directors of Textured Jersey Lanka (Private) Limited (Textured Jersey), a joint venture between Pacific Textiles Holdings Limited of Hong Kong (Pacific Textiles) and Sri Lanka’s Brandix Lanka Limited (Brandix Lanka), has decided to seek a listing on the Main Board of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE).

Textured Jersey is currently jointly owned by Pacific Textiles, which has a 60% stake in the company, and the balance 40% being held by Brandix Lanka. Post-listing, subject to receiving CSE approval, it is expected that approximately 30% of Textured Jersey will be held with the public, with part of the dilution taking place via a pre-IPO placement and the balance through an IPO of new shares. The total transaction value is estimated to be approximately Rs. 2.9 billion.

Textured Jersey Lanka (Pvt) Limited

Ashroff Omar, CEO of Brandix Lanka (Left)
and Bill Lam, CEO of Pacific Textiles (Right)

Mr. Ashroff Omar, Chief Executive Officer of Brandix Lanka and a Director of Textured Jersey, said that the listing was sought to provide Textured Jersey with greater operational flexibility and to provide a separate independent platform to raise funds from the capital markets to support its future growth aspirations. “Knit products constitute the fastest growing segment of the Sri Lankan apparel export market, which is growing strongly even after the end of the GSP+ concessions in August 2010, and Textured Jersey is the country’s pre-eminent producer of value-added knitted fabric” said Mr. Omar.

The Hong Kong listed Pacific Textiles is a leading manufacturer of customized knitted fabric in the global textile industry, with a focus on complex, value-added fabrics. It has one of the largest textile manufacturing facilities in China, and provides integrated services of knitting, dyeing, printing and finishing, with an annual production capacity of approximately 87 million kg. Pacific Textiles reported a 21% YoY increase in revenue for six months ended 30th September 2010 to HK$ 3.7 billion (US$ 474 million), with net profit attributable to shareholders rising by 17% YoY during the same period to HK$ 453 million (US$ 58 million).

Brandix has been accredited as Sri Lanka’s largest apparel exporter. Being the pioneer of the concept of ‘total solutions’ in Sri Lanka’s apparel sector, Brandix is a preferred solutions provider to some of the world’s leading apparel brands, including Victoria’s Secret, PINK, Gap, Banana Republic, Marks & Spencer, Lands’ End, Tommy Hilfiger, Hanes, Express, H&M, Intimissimi and Tesco. The Group specializes in casual bottoms, underwear, lounge and sleepwear, bras, textiles, knitted and woven fabrics, sewing and embroidery thread, accessories and hangers, and also offers wet processing and finishing and fabric printing. The Brandix Group is supported by 32 manufacturing locations island-wide, in addition to other facilities in the South Asian region, and strategically located international sourcing offices, and directly employs over 30,000 associates in Sri Lanka.

Textured Jersey is being advised by investment bankers CT Capital (Pvt) Ltd and Acuity Partners (Private) Limited, who will also act as managers to the capital raising and listing exercise.

Brandix associate in remarkable literary journey

2011-02-28T10:03:00.000-08:00

In the space of just ten years, Brandix Associate Renuka Bandaragoda has progressed from being a Machine Operator at Brandix to Communications Coordinator, Editor of the highest privately-circulated newspaper in the country and author of three books, exemplifying the tenet that given the conducive environment, human potential is limitless.

The 40 year old mother of a two year old son, who joined Brandix Intimate Apparel in Welisara in 2000, recently launched her third book ‘Geyak Ethule Thawath Geyak’, a collection of children’s poetry, at a ceremony at her own workplace, in the presence of the company’s senior management, relatives and special invitees.

She is also the author of two other books, ‘Nothith Asha,’ and ‘Nethumini,’ both of them novels written while she was employed at Brandix.

The cover of the new book and the graphics too were designed by another Brandix associate, Neil Kumara Dehipitiyage, who is employed as a Mechanic. He is also the cartoonist of ‘Viyaman,’ the Brandix Group’s internal newspaper, as well as a writer.

Two other associates of the Group are in the process of writing books that are to be published by Brandix through ‘Viyaman’ Publications.

Brandix Intimate Apparel CEO Shrihan Perera said: “Brandix takes great effort to identify the multiple talents in employees and wherever possible to provide opportunities to develop them. Ms. Bandaragoda is an example of this practice.”

He said that Brandix appreciates the confidence and courage that enabled her to progress from a Machine Operator to a key member of the Group’s Human Resources Development team.

Tokens of appreciation from the Chief Executive Officer of the Brandix Group Mr. Ashroff Omar and from her employer, Brandix Intimate Apparel were also awarded to Ms. Bandaragoda at the ceremony.
Ms. Bandaragoda said the publishing of this book would have been difficult without the sponsorship of Brandix and thanked the Group for its continued support.

“I do not agree with the negative attitude that most of the people have about the garment industry in general as I have received good support from my employer, Brandix, to build my life,” she said. “My second book was launched with the monies that were gifted to me by Mr. Ashroff Omar at the launch of my first book. Brandix provides healthcare facilities, bonuses and a good working environment to the employees and always helps to improve their talents.”

Ms. Bandaragoda commenced her career at Brandix Intimate Apparel in Welisara as a Machine Operator and within a short period of time was adjudged the Best Machine Operator in the company. Thereafter she was offered the position of Internal Communication Co-Coordinator, and became the Chief Editor of the ‘Viyaman,’ a quarterly publication that has a readership of more than 100,000.

Ms. Bandaragoda is currently writing her fourth book which will also be published with the support of Brandix.

Besides the support Brandix extends to develop individual talents, the Group’s principal community initiative theme ‘Care for Water: Care for Women,’ a long term commitment to the provision of safe drinking water to those most in need, significantly contributes to easing the burden on women who constitute the majority of its employees.

Gold Corporate Accountability rating for Brandix

2011-02-21T09:49:00.000-08:00

Top apparel exporter Brandix Lanka Limited has been awarded a Gold rating for the second consecutive year in the 2011 edition of the coveted ‘Sting Corporate Accountability Index’ released by the Lanka Monthly Digest (LMD) magazine in association with Sting Consultants.

Brandix has obtained the 10th overall position among 74 entities in the Index securing 69.75 points. It is the highest ranked company representing the Apparel, Footwear and Textiles sector, which the Index rates as one of the six ‘above average’ sectors for Corporate Accountability.

The criteria taken into consideration by a team of expert judges in awarding the rankings included measurement and disclosure; stakeholder engagement; policy coverage; management and governance; identifying impacts, risks and opportunities and corporate values.

“This endorsement of Brandix’s Corporate Accountability practices by a reputed independent entity, based on broad criteria, demonstrates the high degree of transparency and continued commitment to best practices at Brandix,” a spokesperson for the Brandix Group said. “This rating confirms the high ethical standards maintained by the Group in multiple aspects of business.”

Brandix was also among the top 10 corporate entities and received a Gold rating in the 2010 Sting Corporate Accountability Index. The company’s superior ranking amongst its peers, also reflects its stature as the thought and process leader of the industry, the spokesperson added.

Scores for the Sting Corporate Accountability Index are derived from a proprietary model developed by Sting Consultants to reflect a holistic and integrated approach to CSR, sustainability and governance. The Index was launched with the intention of stimulating improvements in Corporate Accountability among business entities.

Brandix is at the forefront of national and global efforts to adopt eco-friendly manufacture. The Group was honoured with the country’s apex award for energy conservation at the first ever Sri Lanka National Energy Efficiency Awards in 2010. Its Eco Centre at Seeduwa is the first Green Apparel Factory in the world to be rated Platinum under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System of the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and has been commended by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) as a global benchmark for sustainable production. Brandix has succeeded in reducing its Carbon footprint by 17 per cent in 2010 and plans an overall 30 per cent reduction by 2012.

Among the other key areas of focus for Brandix in the sphere of Corporate Accountability include its commitment to initiatives to provide access to safe water for needy rural communities and its support to the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS). The Group has donated more than 1,000 water supply projects to communities and contributed to improve sanitation facilities in and around its manufacturing plants. The Group was also commended by the NBTS for being the largest blood donor by a single entity in Sri Lanka in the year 2010.

The pioneer of the concept of ‘total solutions’ in Sri Lanka’s apparel sector, Brandix is a preferred solutions provider to some of the world’s leading apparel brands, including Victoria’s Secret, PINK, Gap, Banana Republic, Marks & Spencer, Lands’ End, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hanes and Express. The Group specializes in casual bottoms, intimate and active wear, textiles, knitted fabrics, sewing and embroidery thread, accessories and hangers, and also offers wet processing and finishing and fabric printing.

Baltex awarded at Centenary Conference

2011-02-03T20:43:00.000-08:00

As we move forwards into 2011 The Textile Institute takes an opportunity to reflect on one of its most successful years - 2010. A year when Manchester was host to academics and professionals from all areas of the textile industry who came together to celebrate The Textile Institute’s Centenary with the largest textile conference of its type.

The Textile Institute Centenary Conference was a huge success and provided an opportunity to advance knowledge both within business, industrial practice and academic research and also provided a networking platform to encourage the exchange of ideas and sharing of best practice.

As part of the conference the textile industry was invited to showcase its most innovative products as part of The Centenary Conference Industry Innovative Product Award 2010. All entrants to this award displayed their products at the conference and took the opportunity to discuss with the delegates their innovation. A panel of judges, drawn from knowledgeable industry professionals and academics, assessed the individual strengths and innovativeness of each product.

The judges united to discuss each entry and unanimously decided that the winner should be Baltex for it’s XD Coolmax spacer fabric. This innovative product is a three dimensionally knitted fabric designed to promote cooling in body armour, sports and medical applications.

Mr Charles Wood BSocSc CText FTI, Managing Director of Baltex was at the closing ceremony of the conference where he was announced as the winner and collected a monetary award as well as a certificate. Baltex will also be able to utilise the newly designed logo within their promotional material. Professor Subhash Anand MBE CText FTI, the Chair of the Centenary Conference presented the award at the special closing ceremony party, which was sponsored by Brandix at the Manchester United football ground.
Charles was thrilled that Baltex were awarded stating "We were delighted to have been given this prestigious award during the Centenary celebrations of The Textile Institute. Baltex is fortunate to have some great partners in the UK, working on the development of 3D fabrics with some of our finest Universities and companies. It is a tremendous honour for all of us in the company".

The Textile Institute Centenary Conference is supported by industry and education, sponsors of this prestigious event include the Pentland Group, a leading international brand management group involved in the sports, outdoor and fashion markets; Manchester Metropolitan University, Department of Clothing Design and Technology; Brandix Lanka Ltd; World Textile Publications; the University of Manchester; UKFT; Skillset; AWI; Karl Mayer; Oerlikon; Marks and Spencer; and Swisstex Winterthur AG amongst many others. Magazines supporting the event include Textile Asia; TekstilForum; Bangladesh Textile Today; and Textile Media Services.

Celebrating its 100th Anniversary in 2010 The Textile Institute, its Sections and Special Interest Groups worldwide organised special events, culminating in the Institute’s Centenary Conference which took place in Manchester, 3-4 November, immediately followed by the Parliamentary Lunch at the Houses of Parliament in London. Manchester is not only the historic birthplace of the Institute but also continues to be the home of its international headquarters. The Institute is also a registered charity and gained Royal Chartered status in 1925, allowing members to gain chartered qualifications (becoming an Associate, or a Fellow, as well as a non-Chartered Qualification of Licentiate).

The Institute may be celebrating one hundred years of history but is today a vital, enlivened and important organisation providing a truly global network for the fast moving, international textile industry.

- The Textile Institute

Global Financial Services expert joins Brandix

2011-02-02T22:48:00.000-08:00

Brandix Lanka Limited has announced the recent appointment of Priyan Fernando, Executive Vice President of Global Business Services at American Express - a global leader in Financial and Travel Services, as an Independent Non-Executive Director.

Mr. Fernando, based at the American Express World Headquarters in New York City, heads the organisation that provides key business operations functions including Finance, Procurement, Real Estate Services, Human Resources and Business Transformation for American Express worldwide.

He was instrumental in establishing Financial Shared Servicing at American Express, which provided global financial services to the entire Company from just three locations around the world.

"The appointment of Mr. Fernando, an eminent Sri Lankan with an illustrious career and extensive experience in the financial services sector at the global level, will further strengthen the Brandix Board," said Mr. Ken Balendra, Chairman of Brandix. "We are extremely delighted and proud that he has accepted our invitation to join our Board. The senior management team at Brandix is sure to benefit from Mr. Fernando's vast experience and expertise."

Priyan Fernando, who holds an MBA from Indiana University in the United States, has also served as President of the Global Customer Group and Chief Operating Officer of American Express Business Travel. In this capacity, he led the globalisation and transformation of service delivery at American Express Business Travel to create a common customer experience, reflective of its brand around the world. Prior to this, he was the Chief Financial Officer of the Global Corporate Card and Travel Businesses.

Mr. Fernando is a member of the New York Society of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). He has served on the Advisory Council of the Conference Board, the International Committee of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants of the UK and the Board of Rearden Commerce. He is currently serving on the Advisory Council of the New York City Leadership Centre. Mr. Fernando, a Chartered Accountant and a Chartered Management Accountant, is a Fellow member of these Institutes.

The Board of Directors of Brandix Lanka now comprise of Desamanya Ken Balendra (Chairman), and Messrs Ashroff Omar (CEO), Aslam Omar, Feroz Omar, Ajit Johnpillai, Udena Wickremesooriya, Trevine Jayasekara (Finance Director) and Priyan Fernando.

Brandix applauded for largest blood donation of 2010

2011-01-25T09:52:00.000-08:00

The Brandix Group has been felicitated with a Token of Appreciation by the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) for supporting the institution by organising a series of blood donation campaigns in various areas of the country.

Brandix’s 2010 blood donation programme conducted in October and November, resulted in donations by 2,000 associates and was the largest programme by a single entity in the year, the NBTS said. The Group’s contribution in 2010 exceeded that of its previous year by nearly 600 pints.

“Brandix associates have demonstrated their commitment to the wellbeing of others through generous and compassionate contributions to many social initiatives including blood donation campaigns,” Ishan Dantanarayana - Chief People Officer (CPO) of the Brandix Group said. “Their response to the blood donation programme of 2010, was unprecedented.”

Representatives from Brandix, including associates from Brandix Denim Plant and Brandix Textiles – the two largest contributors to the campaign, and officials from the NBTS were present at the presentation of the Token of Appreciation to Mr. Dantanarayana by Dr. Ananda Gunasekera, Director - National Blood Transfusion Service.

Dr. Gunasekera commended Brandix on the massive effort which had taken an estimated 1,000 man hours to complete. The Token of Appreciation presented to Brandix read: “You who created wonders with your golden needles and golden hands have proved that you also have a golden heart.”

NBTS officials commented that the degree of organisation of Brandix’s blood donation programme was exemplary and pointed out that they were able to handle storage easily although stocks reached maximum levels since the campaign was spread over two months. They also pointed out that requirements in many provinces across the island were fulfilled, since campaigns were conducted at Brandix production facilities in the Western, Southern, North Central, Sabaragamuwa and North Western provinces.

Discussions were also held at the presentation event between NBTS officials and Brandix representatives on future blood donation campaigns to be organised by the Group.

The Brandix Group’s principal CSR efforts are driven by the central corporate theme of ‘Care for Water: Care for Women’ and constitute a long term commitment to increasing the availability of water and the provision of safe drinking water to those most in need. The Group’s community outreach initiatives also include providing wells and pipe-borne water to communities in and around its manufacturing plants and the improvement of sanitation facilities in needy areas.

Brandix 'Care for Water - Care for Women' Initiatives

2011-01-14T20:53:00.000-08:00

For some of our associates living close to our factories, water was not easily accessible and obtaining clean potable water was imperative. Thus began projects of diverse scales being embarked upon and a target of completing 500 new projects by the end of this year.

As projects were completed, we saw how accessibility to water benefitted the entire community. The construction of a tube well, water storage tank or an entire water supply system improved the lives of the entire village. It also gave our people a sense of pride to work for an organization that cared not only for them but for their whole community.

Visit the video on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xawiOZbV0M

Brandix 2011 calendar reflects on the unifying power of water

2011-01-11T00:58:00.000-08:00

The fascinating traditions and rituals of a diverse multi-ethnic and multi-religious society nourished, unified and sustained by water, are explored through the unique and thought provoking 2011 calendar of Sri Lanka’s top apparel exporter Brandix.

The final offering in a three-part series, the new Brandix calendar themed ‘Water in Life’ delivers a powerful and timely message on the importance of water, in yet another articulation of the Group’s community outreach focus of ‘Care for Water.’ Drawing inspiration from the rich traditions of the past that are associated with this precious natural resource, it reminds us how each individual of every ethnicity and religion is responsible for its conservation.

Colourful images depicting religious and cultural rituals, some fast receding from practice to the confines of memory, grace the leaves dedicated to the 12 months of the year. Each image is accompanied by informative descriptions in Sinhala, English and Tamil.

The calendar journeys into the world of the supernatural by enlightening readers on the beliefs linked to the spiritual power of water among followers of the four main religions in the country. It shows how the spiritual cleansing power of water is symbolised by the Buddhist ritual of watering the Bodhi tree, the Hindu ‘abhisheka’ rite of washing statues of deities in temples, the Christian ‘baptism’ ceremony at which water is poured on the head of the new-born baby and the Islamic custom of washing the head, feet, hands and arms before reading the holy Quran.

With the aid of a series of striking images the unique and innovative calendar explores the traditional beliefs regarding the ability of water to ward off evil and to bring about prosperity. Images of a water cutting ceremony at which the pure is symbolically separated from the impure; a Kandyan dancer looking at his reflection on the mirrored surface of water on the day of his ordination before ‘entering the world of whirls and sacred rhythms’; a water-filled pot being smashed during a girl’s ‘coming of age’ ceremony to dispel evil influences on the newly fertile young girl; a ‘pirith’ cord threaded around a pot of water and a bridegroom’s feet being washed before being ceremonially welcomed to his new household are among the many depictions of this aspect of water.

The predecessors to Brandix’s 2011 calendar were themed ‘Water in Reflection’ (2009) and ‘Water in Vessels’ (2010). The unique series highlights an often forgotten aspect of water -- its transcendental significance to diverse cultures and religions. These calendars are part of the Group’s long term initiative to promote the conservation of water through advocacy and community outreach projects.

The trilogy of Brandix’s water themed calendars was conceptualised and produced in collaboration with the Group’s creative partner Q&E Advertising, Colombo.

Brandix honours James Schwartz with community project in his name

2010-12-21T04:35:00.000-08:00

Twenty five families in the Katunayake - Minuwangoda area have received the life-changing gift of their own water supply under a community initiative of Brandix, Sri Lanka's largest apparel exporter.

The company has built micro water supply schemes for these families, each of which has at least one member employed at the Brandix Intimate Apparel plants in Katunayake and Minuwangoda.

Constructed under the 'Mehewarata Diyawara' project of the Brandix 'Care for our Own' programme, these water supply systems benefit the recipient families and their immediate neighbours and eliminate the need for them to spend hours each day collecting their requirements of water. The 25 micro water supply schemes were implemented by Brandix as a tribute to James Schwartz, President - Independent Client Group (ICG) of Mast Industries, a Limited Brands Inc., subsidiary and one of the world's largest contract manufacturers, importers and distributors of apparel.

"Mr. Schwartz was intensely interested in the water-related community initiatives of Brandix when he visited Sri Lanka recently," a spokesman for Brandix said. "This segment of our micro water supply programme was therefore dedicated in his name."

Brandix eco champion presents Green Agenda at global conference

2010-12-13T19:39:00.000-08:00

The Brandix Group's stature as a world-leading environment-friendly apparel manufacturer was acknowledged when the Group's Head of Energy and Environment Iresha Somarathna was invited to address the prestigious Sustainable Fashion Seminar at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore recently.

The conference attended by a cross-section of representatives from the fashion industry and the apparel sector; including buyers, sales directors, marketing & merchandising managers, merchandisers and students; explored the need to find sustainable alternatives at different levels in the fashion industry.

The invitation to Mr. Somarathna to present the sustainability initiatives of the Brandix Group at this high-powered global forum was a significant affirmation of the innovative, environment-friendly practices of the Group, a spokesperson for Brandix Lanka said.

Areas ranging from raw materials to product development and factories to production processes were covered at the conference by Mr. Somarathna and the other distinguished speakers including Jay Naidu (Huntsman Singapore); Ken Watson (Industry Forum Service England); Eleonore Richardson (World Bank Group Cambodia); Rajesh Chabara (CRSWorks Consulting Singapore); Binay Choudhury (Control Union India) and William Anderson (Adidas Asia Pacific).

The Textile and Fashion Federation (TaF.f), the Textile and Fashion Federation Training Centre (TaF.tc) and the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) were the chief organisers of the event.

"I consider it a privilege to have represented not just Brandix but my country at this global event," said Mr. Somarathna. "It was a valuable opportunity to share Brandix's vision of a 'greener' future with many leaders and corporates."

Brandix's pioneering efforts in sustainable manufacturing have been acknowledged in the global arena with the Brandix Eco Centre in Seeduwa being recognised as the world's first apparel factory to be rated LEED Platinum by the US Green Building Council. The Group's standing as a leader in eco-friendly manufacture was reaffirmed by the LEED Gold rating which was awarded to the Brandix Essentials Centre in Ratmalana, the first office building in Sri Lanka to receive this certification.

The Group has based its sustainability efforts on three pillars; Air, Water and Earth. A pledge to conserve these pillars has seen Brandix fix targets to reduce its carbon footprint by 30 per cent by 2012, a reduction of water consumption to 35 litres per day per head by 2011, and to achieve zero solid waste to landfill by 2012. To complement this pledge, the Group committed in 2010 an additional US $2 million over the next two years to related initiatives. In addition, a group-wide campaign titled 'Go Green & Live Green' spearheaded by the Chairman of Brandix Mr. Ken Balendra himself has also been launched. This initiative hopes to create a change in lifestyle of the executives at Brandix in order to promote sustainability in the workplace.

Brandix Group HR Head wins international award for Talent Management

2010-12-06T10:45:00.000-08:00

Ishan Dantanarayana, Chief People Officer (CPO) at Sri Lanka's top apparel export group Brandix, has won international recognition for noteworthy contributions to his organization, country and the world through innovation and entrepreneurship.

Mr. Dantanarayana was presented the Achievers and Leaders Award for Excellence in Talent Management by Hon. A. D. S. Gunawardena, Deputy Minister of Buddha Sasana & Religious Affairs at the first Sri Lanka, India, South Africa, Singapore (SIAS) Partnership Summit in Colombo on 5th December.

The awards conferred by the Global Board of the SIAS Partnership Summit were presented in five categories, for excellence in Talent Management, Brand Building, Institution Building, Creativity and Leadership.

The SIAS Summit brought together more than 100 respected CEOs, Managing Directors, Heads of Human Resources, professionals, decision makers and entrepreneurs to share knowledge and explore business opportunities under the overall theme 'Building the Future - Partnerships and Progress through Development.'

In a further affirmation of his standing as an HR leader in the region, Mr. Dantanarayana was invited to be one of the 18 top leaders to address the SIAS Summit. Other panellists at the Summit's HR Forum included eminent Human Resources heads of leading multibillion dollar Indian corporate entities of the calibre of Mahindra & Mahindra and the Reliance Group.

Kasuni Rathnasuriya of Brandix titled British Council’s Young Fashion Entrepreneur 2011

2010-11-21T01:36:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, 13 November 2010 at the Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF), Kasuni Rathnasuriya was awarded the Young Fashion Entrepreneur (YFE) Award 2011.

The YFE 2011 Award is a British Council initiative offered in partnership with the Sri Lanka Design Festival, that seeks to champion and celebrate the importance of creative entrepreneurs in the 25 to 35 age category working in the field of fashion.

Applicants were drawn from various areas of the fashion field including fashion textile, accessories production and design, fashion promotion, fashion education, fashion marketing, and fashion publishing.

A Member and a passed finalist of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK, Kasuni is currently employed as a Market Analyst at Brandix Lanka, the single largest apparel exporter in Sri Lanka with globally renowned eco-friendly best practices. She graduated from the Academy of Design in 2007 and is currently reading for her MBA at the Postgraduate Institute of Management, University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

Brandix CEO Ashroff Omar, keynote speaker at global Textile Conference

2010-11-13T01:52:00.000-08:00

Sri Lanka’s status as a significant player in the global apparel industry was acknowledged when the CEO of Brandix, Ashroff Omar, was invited to deliver a keynote address at the Centenary World Conference of The Textile Institute held recently in Manchester.

Mr. Omar explored the topic ‘manufacturing on the global stage,’ making his presentation to an august assembly comprising of world renowned corporate leaders, academics and researchers.

The conference themed ‘Creating a global vision for textiles, clothing and footwear’ recognised the need for change in the textile industry and focused on creating a platform for information exchange and networking.