ADVERTORIAL

Cox Media Network features Hameedia

One of Sri Lanka’s leading menswear specialists Hameedia has been chosen to be featured in Exclusive Resorts and Day Spas, an award-winning television show featuring leading resorts, hotels and attractions from around the world. The show is aired on USA’s Cox Media network and is soon to be aired on other networks around the world.

The program’s celebrity host Alexander Shambly who was in Colombo recently singled out Hameedia to be featured on the program. “In my opinion, Hameedia is one of the best tailors in the world of fashion. I have been very impressed by the quality of its work and its sheer professionalism.

Although the show is mainly about leading resorts, hotels and attractions, I thought it fit to include Hameedia in the Sri Lanka segment and promote it as among the best in this region,” he said.

“As a former international model myself and having been at the forefront of the fashion and beauty business for over 25 years, I admire Hameedia for its creative design. Its products are world class and there’s no reason why Hameedia shouldn’t do well on the highly competitive international market,” Shambly said. The program has been in production for the past six years and has done numerous episodes.

More popular destinations have been the Maldives, Dubai, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Australia, Thailand and Singapore.

Primary viewership is from the USA, Australia and Europe with web-based traffic attracting viewers across 35 countries.

Exclusive Resorts and Day Spas has featured the leading resorts and hotels including luxury brands such as Raffles Hotels, Kempinski, John Keells Group, W Hotels and Taj Hotels.

Aspirations Education marks six years

Global education counselling :

Aspirations Education (AE) an international career guidance and student placement service centre in Sri Lanka recently celebrated its sixth year anniversary at the counselling centre. The centre currently works with over 100 prominent universities and institutes in Australia, UK, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Malaysia, India and Singapore.

Managing Director Daphne Abeysekera

Chairman Ajith Abeysekera

With the education industry in Sri Lanka being in the spotlight with local universities and the Government’s attention towards international education, and Sri Lanka’s highly literate population with a positive attitude towards solid education, there is immense potential for the industry to grow rapidly. Aspirations Education Chairman Ajith Abeysekera said, “Aspirations Education was born out of a resolute commitment to be a fountain of inspiration to the Sri Lankan community to help them realize their aspirations. Our core business model is providing career guidance and counselling services to students who wish to pursue their education overseas.”

He said, “Students who aspire to study abroad should be given proper guidance at the right time. They should be able to get accurate and authentic information with regard to options available. Such guidance will help students with lower costs, increased chances of university acceptance, cultural adaptability and even increased chances of financial assistance. This may also improve students’ profile to obtaining visas and most of all enhance career opportunities in today’s global economy.

Proper counselling in the areas of both education and careers help students pick the university that best meets their needs maximizing the chances of financial assistance and career opportunities. Comprehensive guidance will not mislead students at the crucial juncture in their lives, which can break or make their future; this is what Aspirations is all about.” International education provides students to be more fluent in other languages, better understand other cultures and have a greater appreciation of their own, are able to better determine their career choices and begin building resumes well before college.

Another very real practical benefit is the fact that corporates place a high value on applicants who have had international education experiences, which opens admissions options to the most respected institutions.

Once students do go to college, they are more committed than most of their peers and the demand among many professions for global skills and experience in cross-culture awareness open doors for more career options.

Orient Group wins Gold

The Orient Group of Companies Founder Chairman and Managing Director C B Ekanayake won the Gold award for the Best Entrepreneur of the Year in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka in the Large Category of the competition organized and conducted by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL). He also was placed fifth, winning Bronze in the All-Island competition for the Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2010 which was also organized by the FCCISL. The Orient Group headed by Ekanayake comprises Orient Construction Co, Orient Polysacks Co, Orient Hardware Stores, Orient Trade Centre and Orient Auto Enterprises.

Orient Construction Co is an M1 registered building contractor in Sri Lanka.

Siddhalepa wins awards

Cleaner Production Awards Ceremony – 2010:

Hettigoda Group being the highest in excellence in Clearner Production Practices in manufacturing (Large Organization Category) received the Silver Award at the National Cleaner Production Awards Ceremony held on January 26 at Galle Face hotel.

The company also bagged three Excellence awards in recognition of Cleaner Production achievements in Material Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and Water Efficiency in Manufacturing (Large Organization Category).

In efforts to empower the future sustainability of the country, the Siddhalepa Company has excelled in many attributes over the years, which were highly praised locally and internationally.

The company won three awards in Cleaner Production Practices last year too.

Efficient usage of resources, minimizing wastes, solid waste management, effluent water treatment, rainwater harvesting, recycling, and reusing are some of the best practicing areas of the company.

As an energy saving measure, the company has used solar dryers replacing electric ovens to dry raw materials, which leads to minimize the electricity consumption substantially.

Going beyond manufacturing boundaries, Siddhalepa company has made its presence felt in green movement and other aspects of sustainable development.

These activities cover a whole range of waste management projects, herbariums in schools, publicising the importance of environment protection and conservation of natural resources, etc.

Hettigoda Industries is the first ayurvedic company to receive ISO 9001,ISO14001, and ISO 22000.

It has also obtained GMP, SLS, FDA, HACCP, HALAAL certificates and Superbrand-UK status.

Honda 3Q net profit falls

Honda Motor said Monday its net profit for the three months ended December fell nearly 40 percent from a year ago as the yen’s strength overshadowed cost-cutting efforts and as demand in Japan slowed.

The automaker posted a net profit of 81.1 billion yen ($ 995 million) for the quarter, missing the average Nikkei forecast for a 93 billion yen net profit.

Sales fell 5.8 percent to 2.1 trillion yen in the three-month period.

Honda said that if calculated at the same exchange rate as the corresponding period last year, net sales for the quarter would have decreased by approximately 0.8 percent. For many Japanese firms, the yen’s surge against the dollar and the euro has mitigated a post-financial crisis revival in demand and undermined the benefits of earlier cost cuts and restructuring.

More companies are considering moving production overseas to stay competitive against rivals benefiting from weaker currencies in their home countries.

Honda’s operating profit slumped 29 percent to 125.6 billion yen.

Honda said the fall was “due primarily to the unfavourable currency translation effects and decreased sales in the automobile business in Japan”.

It warned that the economy of its domestic market was “at a standstill”, with the slow recovery of consumer spending and prolonged high unemployment still keeping demand at home weak. Auto demand eased in the period as Government incentives to spur car buying expired.

However, the automaker said it expected its full year net profit to hit 530 billion yen, up 97.5 percent year-on-year, an upward revision from 500 billion yen forecast in October.

The automaker said net profit for the nine months ended December was 489.5 billion yen, up 149.5 percent from the same period last year.

AFP

Vallibel Finance moves to new office

Central Bank Governor pays tribute to company’s meteoric rise:

Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal opened the new headquarters of Vallibel Finance. “This new office is a great reflection of how far Vallibel has come over the last four years,” said the Governor. Situated at 310, Galle Road, the new five storey office is a few metres away from the previous Vallibel Finance head office and houses the expanding operations of the company as it seeks to infuse fresh impetus to its development strategy.

“It really is a pleasure to see our finance sector’s progress reflected in the achievements of this young company. Vallibel should be very proud of these new premises and I believe we can expect great thing from them in the future,” the Governor said at the opening.

“At this time, the nation is pushing forward with a development drive unlike anything it’s ever seen before,” said Cabraal. “In terms of the financial sector, we are establishing all the necessary elements to take this sector forward,” he said. “As an investor, I believe this a key period for us,” said Vallibel Finance and the Vallibel Group Chairman Dhammika Perera. “Now the business community must do its duty to the country by investing in local businesses and creating local opportunities. This is the time for us as investors to assume leadership in the drive for development and take the nation forward. I for one am ready to take this stand,” he said.

Vallibel Finance blazed into the competitive industry with a promise to create better access to modern-day financial tools for all, a pledge that captured the imagination of many across the country.

As a part of its expansion plans during the current post-war recovery period, the powerful young challenger of the Sri Lankan financial sphere has been carrying out an extensive countrywide campaign to develop its branch network, a campaign which is to continue through 2011. The company’s dynamic growth strategy has many more developments in store, achieving significant growth in assets, profits, and fixed deposits during the last financial year.

Having successfully opened several branches across the island, the company had been planning these new premises for some time, according to Vallibel Finance Managing Director Jayantha Rangamuwa. “This new office is a great leap ahead of Vallibel Finance,” said Rangamuwa. “We have grown immensely over the last four years, and these new premises will be instrumental in helping us deliver a better calibre of service to our customers.”