High tech reaches zenith
Hiran H. SENEWIRATNE
Sri Lanka’s high tech electronics industry has entered a new era with
30 per cent growth. This will create ample opportunities of having
linkages with the growing Indian electronics sector, President of the
Sri Lanka Electronics Manufacturing and Export Association, Merric
Gooneratne said.
“We have a unique opportunity for establishing linkages with the
growing Indian electronics industry. Since Chennai is developing as the
global centre for excellence in automation industry,” Gooneratne said.
Sri Lanka is also in an advantageous position as our productivity
level is more competitive than that of major markets like China and
India, and we have the ability and technology to produce high tech
electronic components much better than those countries, he said
He said that Korean car giant Hyundai has set up a new facility in
Chennai, where they will be manufacturing 600,000 auto units for a year.
Further, other major automobile companies including Ford, Renault,
Nissan, and BMW are also expected to set up facilities in Chennai.
Chennai itself expected to produce over one million units for a year, he
said.
With these new development in the Indian subcontinent Sri Lanka’s
electronics industry has the access to new opportunities to establish
linkages with Chennai to supply electronic components.
This is more profitable in all logisticwise to penetrate the auto
market in China, he said. We also have to be efficient in quality and be
competitive in terms of pricing strategy and delivery schedule, he said
Currently the Sri Lankan electronics industry has established itself
as a reliable supplier of electronic components namely printed circuit
boards to globally renowned end users in the area of computers, bio
medical engineering products, and consumer electronics, Gooneratne said.
With these developments in the electronics industry we have to look
for global partners to improve the output mainly to focus and develop
Research and Development skills to enhance productivity in the
electronic sector, he said.
Gooneratne said workers in Sri Lanka’s electronic industry have been
rated very high and their ability to absorb skills is also very high. An
average person in Sri Lanka could read and understand instructions given
in English, better than other countries like China and India, he said.
The government has given the highest priority for the development and
promotion of the electronics sector.
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