Fabricating 'concept kitchen' for catering industry:

Nitmo chief determined to save forex

Ramani KANGARAARACHCHI

Tharitha Goonesena

Some people in Sri Lanka benefit from free education and later migrate. However, some people learn from other nations and come back to serve their motherland with a vast knowledge and a wealth of experience.

Nitmo (Pvt) Ltd, Chairman Tharitha Goonasena, an exporter and manufacturer integrates the state-of-the-art technology in designing and fabricating concept kitchens for the catering industry.

He had his school education in Sri Lanka and later went abroad to pursue higher studies and work. He always wanted to give back something what he achieved there and serve his motherland. Goonasena was interviewed by Daily News Business.

An old boy of St Peter's College, Colombo 4, he was the second child in a family of four brothers. After completing his Advanced Level examination he joined Colombo Commercial Company and worked as an apprentice in airconditioner, and Refrigerator Engineering. In 1974 he joined the Engineering Department of Hotel Intercontinental.

Inspired

"I was inspired by the work at the hotel and enjoyed my work immensely. After some time I got the opportunity to get my first overseas job at the Dubai Hotel Intercontinental as an Assistant Engineer. Having worked for two years I joined the Ramada chain in Abu Dhabi and worked for another 10 years and became the Chief Engineer in the hotel. I got a break for a while and travelled to other countries to gain more experience, he said

After this break he was appointed as the Regional Engineer in Hong Kong. I looked after 15 properties of the hotel in the region. In the meantime, I developed a passion to do the same in Sri Lanka. I always thought I should start a company in Sri Lanka.

With this in mind I moved to Allson International Hotel in Malaysia as a Director and it was a bigger task for me. While working in Malaysia for nine years I set up a small company in Sri Lanka to realize my dream.

In 2006, he returned to Sri Lanka to develop his own company. He attended several exhibitions in the United States and learnt about central plants to manufacture the full kitchen range.

Satisfaction

I started with six people and invested about Rs 15 million to start the business in Rajagiriya. First I manufactured kitchen equipment for the local market.

When I undertake a job, I just don't sell the product and don't wish to be just another supplier. I get involved closely with the customer, advise him and guide him to do it better and I too become a partner of the job.

Customers like it very much. Some people change the concept after consulting me and the end product comes out very well to the complete satisfaction of the customer, he said

We also have a very good technical staff who provides a timely maintenance service to our customers. We have all kinds of spare parts for our equipment.

Two years ago I participated in the Hotel Show exhibition at the BMICH which was very successful.

Business picked up thereafter and I receive at least 30 inquiries daily.

Earlier, I did not know many people in Sri Lanka because I had lived abroad for a long time.

Product range

The Nitmo product range includes four-burner gas range for LPG, cooking tops, three kinds of kitchen lines for the hotel industry - island cooking, single line and snack line.

The other products are cooking grills for hotels and stainless steel domestic pantry cupboards in a range of colours.

An employee at work

Nitmo's first export was for four hotels in Germany recently.

Goonasena is keen on obtaining international standards certification and to take the business to the next level.

He has not faced many challenges as a result of his vast experience in the field but he is determined to develop the industry and save a huge amount of foreign exchange which would have to be otherwise spent to import the equipment.

Strong skills

If the authorities identify local talents and provide support it is not impossible, he said.

He trains his staff to develop strong skills and most of them are from the outstations.

His wife, Tamara who is also a partner in the business is behind his success. "My son-in-law is also in the business and his son is studying in Australia. I want to pass on this valuable industry to the next generation and see that they develop it for the country, he said.

His vision is to be the leading concept designer in the field of catering equipment, locally and internationally and be the leader in supply, installation and servicing.