To serve North, East:
LAL partners SMB Leasing
Major infrastructure, services expansion mooted:
Lanka Ashok Leyland PLC (LAL) will enter to a partnership with SMB
Leasing PLC (formerly the Seylan Merchant Bank Group) as part of the
management’s strategic initiative to provide a total transport solution
to the North and the East.
Intended to facilitate Lanka Ashok Leyland’s rapid expansion in these
areas to support their post-conflict resurgence, the move will result in
SMB Leasing representing LAL as a total transport solution provider in
the two provinces.
This will encapsulate distribution for LAL vehicles, providing
after-sales service, spare parts support and warranty obligations, in
addition to leasing, and financing. SMB Leasing will also provide
integral support for LAL infrastructure expansion, namely the
construction of state-of-the-art after sales service centres, highway
repair centres, spare parts outlets and vehicle showrooms in the North
and the East.
Given the surging demand for LAL vehicles in the North and the East,
LAL with SMB Leasing have earmarked for completion at least six sites
for construction of modern workshop facilities by the end of 2010, LAL
CEO Umesh Gautam said. “Lanka Ashok Leyland had entered into an
agreement with People’s Leasing Company for the supply of 1000 buses
before March 31, 2011 with the majority set for delivery to the North
and the East.
This had expedited the need for Lanka Ashok Leyland workshops and
spare parts facilities in the regions and the agreement with SMB Leasing
will help facilitate such expansion,” he said.
“The North and the East represent an important market for us, not
only in terms of business, but in terms of the opportunity that presents
itself to support the Government’s and the private sector’s efforts to
develop transport infrastructure,” Gautam said. |