US, Indian diplomats visit Brandix Green Plant

Months after it received the world’s highest rating for eco friendly manufacture, the Brandix Green factory at Seeduwa continues to attract high profile local and international interest.

US Embassy’s Vice Consul Ms. Emily J. Hicks and Chief of Economic and Commercial Affairs Ms. Kami Witmer, Brandix Director A.J. Johnpillai, US Ambassador Robert Blake, Mrs. Sofia Blake, Indian High Commissioner Alok Prasad, Brandix CEO Ashroff Omar, Seema Omar and Hasib Omar at the Brandix Eco Centre.

The latest visitors to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum rated Brandix Casualwear factory were the diplomatic envoys of the USA and India, the former representing a major market for Sri Lankan apparel, and the latter a major producer in the region.

US Ambassador Robert Blake Jr. and Mrs. Sofia Blake were accompanied by Ms. Emily J. Hicks, Vice Consul and Ms. Kami Witmer, Chief of Economic and Commercial Affairs at the US Embassy in Colombo on this visit.

In his comments in the Green Plant’s visitors’ book, the US Ambassador wrote “Congratulations on this impressive green facility that I hope will serve as a model for other apparel factories.”

Brandix Director A.J. Johnpillai who along with Brandix CEO Ashroff Omar, conducted the diplomats on a tour of the 130,000 square-foot facilities said, “Brandix was pleased to host the American and Indian envoys on a visit to the Green Plant.

Such visits by eminent and influential personalities serve the very important purpose of creating better awareness overseas of our commitment to environment-friendly manufacture and are beneficial to the apparel industry as a whole.”

The Brandix Green Factory at Seeduwa is the first apparel manufacturing facility in the world to be rated Platinum under the LEED Green Building Rating System of the US Green Building Council (USGBC).

The factory which is the Group’s lead manufacturing plant for Marks and Spencer, achieved a score of 76 (12 points higher than the 64 required for Platinum status) on the 85-point LEED certification system, setting a global benchmark for low energy consumption, water conservation, solid waste management and low carbon emissions.