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| Wednesday, 29 September 2004 |
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Senok Group turns 25 - diversification the guiding principle by Pramod de Silva Senok is more or less a household name today. Think of Audi, the prestigious German marque and Senok comes to mind. But Audi is just one of the brands that Senok represents and the car business is just one of its interests. The Senok Group is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month. Senok was founded in 1979 by Noel Selvanayagam, with Senok Travels (Pvt.) Ltd. Looking back, Selvanayagam says he has every reason to be proud of Senok's achievements. "We represent some of the world's best known brands and we are constantly looking for new business opportunities. We wouldn't have come this far without the numerous customers who have trusted us and the brands we represent," he says. Selvanayagam is a staunch believer in diversification. He decided to venture out in to other avenues of business, starting with construction machinery in 1982. Senok was the first to introduce the world renowned Kobelco Construction Machinery to Sri Lanka. The company also represents world famous brands of construction machinery such as JCB, Mitsubishi Motor Graders, Kato cranes, Nissan Diesel trucks and Sakai road construction equipment. Other world-renowned brands of machinery represented by Senok include Liebherr, Johs. Moller's, Vogele, CVS Ferrari and Rosenbauer (fire engines). Most people however associate Senok with the three well-known auto brands Audi (Germany), Skoda (Czech Republic) and Subaru (Japan/Fuji Heavy Industries). Skoda, the most recent addition to the portfolio, is also doing well in Sri Lanka. Both Audi and Skoda are members of the Volkswagen group. "It does not matter whether you buy an Audi or a Kato, our motto is providing the best possible after sales service. We have state-of-the-art workshops for cars and construction machinery. We also have a spare parts division in Grandpass," Selvanayagam adds. The company has also been involved in major government infrastructure development projects such as port, aviation, irrigation, water and telecommunications. More recent projects include the upgrading of the radar and communication equipment at the Bandaranaike International Airport. Senok's business interests are not limited to Sri Lanka. It is involved in the ports and aviation industries in the Maldives. Senok has also ventured into the tea business through Senok Tea (Pvt) Ltd. Export markets for Senok Teas include Russia, Ukraine, USA, the Middle East, and Europe. The company recently established a tea-bagging factory in the Ukraine. Senok also has a mining operation in Kotadeniyawa. This is a joint venture with World Kaihatsu Kogyo of Japan. This project is BOI approved and provides material for various construction projects. Senok also operates several mini hydropower projects. A new hydro power plant, which will generate 3 Mw of electricity, is due to be completed in 2005. "We believe that a trained workforce is the key to success. This is why we have extensive training programs for our workers, some of whom are sent abroad for training," says Selvanayagam. The company will shortly open a fully equipped training centre in Weliweriya. |
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