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| Monday, 16 June 2003 |
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University lecturers visit BOI Export Processing Zone at Biyagama This week a group of 14 academics from the University of Sri Jayewardhanapura visited the Biyagama Export Processing Zone (BEPZ) and were able to see the type of activities that take place in an Export Processing Zone. This select group had the opportunity to hold discussions both with BOI staff and the management of the BOI companies they visited. Ranjith Fernando, Director, Biyagama Zone, Dilip S. Samarasinghe, Director (Media) and other officials spoke on the role of the BOI and its history and contribution to Sri Lanka's economy. The presentation the important role played by the Board in its quarter century of existence as an agent for economic transformation. The BOI was a major player in the transformation of Sri Lanka from what was essentially a plantation and agrarian based economy, vulnerable to the fluctuations of international commodity markets to an economy with many modern sectors. Today Sri Lanka has a highly diversified economy with a wide range of industries, agro-industries and services produced. Since this formed an integral part of the BOI's role, this transformation was reflected in the design a recent stamp issued by the postal authorities and by the film, Catalyst for Growth produced by Director Vasantha Obeyasekera. The film was also shown to the audience from the University. But possibly the most important aspect of the visit was the actual walk around three important factories at the BEPZ. Stretchline, a company that specializes in the manufacture of straps for lingerie was the first of these with its highly automated facility illustrating well the changes the local garment industry has undergone in recent years. It is a good example of what is known as vertical integration where essential accessories needed for making the end product are produced locally. This was followed by a visit to Ansell Sri Lanka, a facility that manufactures rubber surgical and industrial gloves. Many in the group were interested in the scale of the operations of the Australian company, where endless rows of moulds in the shape of the human hand travel through conveyor belts to emerge as surgical gloves used by hospitals worldwide. |
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