‘Reusable cartridges will save forex’:
IT entrepreneur targets export market
Ramani Kangaraarachchi
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A.
Jayaseelan |
The business world is highly dependent today on new technology and
creative concepts. ABC Trade and Investments (Pvt) Ltd has been a key
player in the IT industry over the past 10 years and a recognized member
of the Sri Lanka Computer Vendors Association. The company was a
distributor for a range of products including printer consumables,
storage media, networking and other prime IT equipment.
Its Managing Director A Jayaseelan was interviewed by Daily News
Business.
Jayaseelan who hails from Kandy is the second child in a family of
three. He had his primary education at St Thomas’ College, Bandarawela
and Hatton.
After completing his Advanced Level Examination he joined a private
company as a Sales Representative for a salary of only Rs. 600 and
gained experience.
“I had a dream to start a business of my own one day; it was in my
blood,” he said. I worked for different companies for three years and
established ABC Computers desk top publishing in 1991 with an investment
of Rs. 25,000. The first office was at Ward Place, with only six
employees, he said.
Main focus
He gradually moved to Trade and Investment in 1994 selling ABC
computers. The company’s main focus was computer related business
networking in Sri Lanka. Print Rite computers were imported from China
initially and the company was appointed as the authorized distributor
for Print Rite, Veratim, Mitsuishi and Fluke Networks and dealers for
HP, Canon, Epson and Sony. The company’s monthly turnover is around Rs.
10 million.
Thereafter it diversified in to locally remanufactured toners and ink
cartridges branded as Renew Station for the first time increasing the
workforce up to sixty people. “This is a unique concept with emphasis on
protecting the environment and reducing pollution and achieving cost
effective printing solutions.
The printer cannot be damaged under this system of manufacturing.
With the growing demand for ink cartridge recycling the company expanded
the business for toner manufacturing with state-of-the-art equipment and
is planning to manufacture toners to international standards.
Marketing activities
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Recycling reusable toner cartridges at
the ABC plant in Rajagiriya. Pictures by Sumanachandra
Ariyawansa |
Jayaseelan said that the company grew fast and shifted to its own
building in Rajagiriya. The company expanded to different business units
during this period, he said.
To supply an efficient and continuous supply of office automation and
printer consumables the company set up Target OfficeStore, the retail
arm as a one-stop shop at customer convenient locations at Bauddhaloka
Mawatha, Liberty Plaza and Unity Plaza shopping complexes and in Negombo
and Kandy, he said.
These outlets provided a fast, reliable, continuous feed of office
equipment and supply of consumables plus solutions for networking and
hardware needs.
The company has another department known as Idea to provide digital
imaging; instant printing, high quality photo gifts and web based
marketing activities. Asked about the challenges, he faced, Jayaseelan
said customers were reluctant to use reusable cartridges at the
beginning but we educated them on our systems later. It saves a huge
amount of foreign exchange for the country, he said.
Future plans
Jayaseelan’s future plan is to improve the market and enter the
Export market in the future. The concept of Re-New Station has been
approved by the Central Environment Authority as a concept on reduced
waste management. Therefore, the company is planning to set up outlets
in several locations to expand the shop as a shop in a shop concept at
leading malls and dealer outlets.
Asked about the secret behind his success, he said that the support
from his wife and family apart from the efficient and loyal staff helped
him. I also had confidence in everything I did, he said.
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