Lankan CEO in Pakistan garment factory sets new trends

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

GARMENTS: If the systems are right in organisations they will run smoothly, and grow fast achieving the desired results. But placing the systems right and the operational processes are challenging tasks. Doing it in another country is even a greater challenge.

A Sri Lankan CEO in Pakistan with his team has been able to meet this challenge by making the J & M Clothing Company, one of the leading exporters of casual wear to the European market in Karachi. The Sri Lankan CEO , Priyantha Wanniarachchi started his career with Inter Fashions in Sri Lanka in 1986 after graduating from the Kelaniya University in Industrial Management.

After five years as the export production manager, he received his first overseas experience in Vietnam for another five years. Then in 1996, he joined hands with the Pakistani Chairman of J&M, a subsidiary of Joe's Fashion Export (Pvt) Ltd which has made its way to the forefront of Pakistan's garment industry.

At present the company production per month is over one million pieces and it has nearly 30 clients in the EU countries.

The annual turnover of the group comes to US 100 million dollars. A workforce of 5000 are employed in the two factories.

There is an expansion plan to have 100% washing plant shortly. The company is mainly targeting the European market for men, women, children and infants.

"It was very difficult at the beginning to put the system in the correct path. There are talented people, their personal efficiency is high but their middle level management is very weak.

It was all Sri Lankans who could remedy this situation. By now we have been able to train some Pakistani people and they are improving. Priyantha said.

"As the literacy rate is very low in Pakistan comprehension is at a low rate. Therefore it is necessary to lay down every step methodically."

"Another challenge at the beginning was the language."

'They speak only Urdu so we had to understand their language we had to face problems when dealing with them,' he said.

In-house training plays a vital role. We train 75 machine operators every month. Good quality is essential to sustain in the market which is a big challenge, he said. I was also able to introduce an outdoor training programme to the management of the company through Janaka Kumarasinghe, a Malaysian trained outward bound training instructor who had been involved in introducing OB training concept in Sri Lanka.

He appreciated the one day workshop conducted by another Sri Lankan professional on a voluntary basis and those valuable resources were channelled to the grass-root level.