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At Sales and Marketing Convention:

Maliban celebrates 2010 success

The Maliban Sales and Marketing Convention 2011, held on February 5, recognised and honoured the company’s sales force as the country’s premier biscuit manufacturer celebrated a successful year, marked by increased volume growth.

Maliban Chairman A G Rathnapala Samaraweera attended the Convention as the chief guest. Also in attendance were Senior Director A G Wimalasiri, Executive Directress A G Kumudika Fernando, Director A G Tharangitha Samaraweera, Director A G Shanaka Wickramapala, Group Chief Executive Officer D L Weerasuriya and Sales and Marketing CEO Ravi Jayawardena,

Trade, Marketing and Exports General Manager Ashoka Perera, Maliban Biscuit Consultant Raja Abeynayake, Sales Head Ashan Kannangara and Marketing Manager Hashan Haputhanthri. Regional and Area Sales Managers, Regional and Area Sales Executives, distributors, sales representatives and Maliban staff were also present.

The main feature of the Convention was the presentation of awards. Awards were presented in the categories of Best Sales Representative, Best Modern Trade Executive, Best Merchandiser, Best Area Sales Executive, Best Area Sales Manager, Best Regional Sales Manager and Best Distributor.

The most prestigious award, the Chairman’s Trophy for the Best Sales Representative of the Year, was won by J R S H P Guruge. Sales representatives, N K Weerakkody and Manoj Priyanka secured second and third places respectively.

Sunila Chandana won the Best Modern Trade Executive of the Year Award, while K Varman received the award for the Best Merchandiser. The Best Area Sales Executive was C N Pattersoon and the award for the Best Area Sales Manager was won by Dhammika Jayasinghe, while, Kapila Jayasinghe was the winner of the Best Regional Sales Manager Award. A M M B Attanayake won the Best Distributor (Small), while Upali Traders received the awards for Best Distributor (Medium) and Samitha Distributors, Padduka, for Best Distributor (Large).

The event paid tribute to the founder of the company A G Hinniappuhamy who founded Maliban over six decades ago.

In addition, the Sales and Marketing Convention also highlighted the significant growth rates achieved by the company in 2010 and introduced the new objectives for 2011, under the theme, ‘Mission R. F. I.’, emphasizing on reach, frequency and impact.

Sales and Marketing CEO Ravi Jayawardena, commended the fortitude and commitment of the sales force in taking the company forward.

“Four objectives were set for the sales division in 2010. The first of these was that each sales representative record a 10 percent increase in sales volume. Surpassing this target, we achieved an increase of 19 percent,” he said. He said that, expiry rate of products was reduced to 0.78 percent, zero bad debts were maintained and the total number of retail outlets increased to 79,000, in meeting the objectives of 2010.

Marketing Manager Hashan Haputhanthri said that much of the success was achieved through the innovative and non-conventional methods adopted in advertising, promotion and re-launch of products. The popular Cream Cracker and Bran Cracker were reintroduced to the market, re-branded as Smart Cracker and Real Bran Cracker following extensive consumer research. Similarly, 2011 will be a consumer-focused year, with new products and relaunches in the pipeline, he said.

Ambitious targets have been set for 2011, said Sales Head Ashan Kannangara. He said that the company would focus on achieving a 12 percent growth in sales against 2010, increasing productivity to 40 productive calls for day per lorry and reaching 84,500 outlets through infrastructure correction.

It will also be ensured that zero bad debts are maintained, while taking measures to reduce expiry levels to below 0.6 percent. Human resource development will also be emphasized this year, as Maliban strives to achieve new heights and make rapid progress into the future.

American Express Cardmembers:

Savings from Hameedia

American Express partnered with Hameedia, one of Sri Lanka’s leading men’s wear retail stores to offer its Cardmembers a saving of 20 percent on purchases made through their American Express Card till February 28. This gives American Express Cardmembers the best reason to indulge in a trendy clothing experience.

Nations Trust Bank PLC American Express Card Chief Manager Lewie Diasz said, “This is yet another exciting promotion from American Express and is bound to be a timely treat to all our Cardmembers. We are delighted to partner with Hameedia - the premium life style clothing store and to have the opportunity to delight our valued Cardmembers with the privileges of membership. We believe that this once again reiterates our commitment in offering our customers the best value in every aspect.”

Hameedia Managing Director Fauzul Hameed stated it gives us pride to be partnered with American Express a prestigious global brand. This joint promotion in essence will reward the loyal customers of both organizations and will give a very good reason to the potential customers to shop with us and experience the Hameedia brand.

Redefining value, American Express has commenced this year with a host of rewards and privileges for their Cardmembers, 1 for 1 Lodging, offering their Cardmembers a complimentary night for each night booked on the card in over 15 partner hotels, special savings in the retail sector with over 21 partners islandwide and rewarding cardmembers with double Nexus points for supermarket purchases to unveiling an exciting range of redemption partners under their membership rewards program, cardmembers can look forward to an array of savings and privileges unfolding to suit their lifestyle in time to come.

The American Express Credit Card is acquired and issued in Sri Lanka solely by Nations Trust Bank PLC.

To produce Murali’s life story:

South Ceylon Publishing partners UK based Opus Media

South Ceylon Publishing, a Colombo based publishing house, will publish the official autobiography of the Sri Lankan cricketing legend, Muttiah Muralitharan in partnership with luxury publisher Kraken Opus, the publishing division of UK based, Opus Media Group.

The autobiography, due to be launched this year will be initially published as a limited edition, large-format, luxury, collectable volume.

South Ceylon Publishing Founder Chairman Arjuna Wickramasinghe said, “It is indeed a privilege to be able to partner with a company of the calibre of the Opus Media Group, as only an Opus will do justice to the life story of one of the world’s greatest sportsmen.”

An Opus is a tribute to exceptional personalities and their stories, presented in an epic, stunning and iconic publication.

An Opus seeks to deliver an experience that makes the reader feel that they are experiencing the action and atmosphere as if they are actually there. This is made possible via the contribution of world’s best writing and editorial talent, picture editors and photographers.

Opus Media Group, CEO and Founder Karl Fowler said, “It is a great honour for Opus Media Group to have been offered the opportunity to team up with a kindred spirit in South Ceylon Publishing on such a prestigious project and I would like to thank Arjuna Wickramasinghe’s for this incredible opportunity”.

‘m Centre’ at Moratuwa

The latest in the chain of the Metropolitan retail stores that offer the range of Metropolitan brands and products was launched at Moratuwa Rawathawatte recently. The store which is located on the Galle Road offers computers, laptops, printers, scanners, cameras, gaming hardware, fax machines, all-in-ones among other IT and workplace automation equipment.“We identified Moratuwa as a strategic location to better serve our customers who come from Panadura, Ratmalana, Moratuwa and Piliyandala areas.

This will offer convenience of access to our range of products,” said the ‘m Centre’ chain manager Chaminda Rajapaksha.

Alli to launch rice flour mill

Alli Company Private Limited of Pasyala, pioneer food manufacturers of Sri Lanka, as a step in their endeavour to turn the people of Sri Lanka to consuming rice flour instead of imported wheat flour, will launch a rice milling complex that will use washed and cleaned rice to prepare rice flour hygienically, for the first time in Sri Lanka.

The milling complex will be inaugurated by Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa at 9.00 am today.

This rice flour-milling complex, launched under the policy recommendations of Minister Wimal Weerawansa, will directly support the country’s rice farmers, and assist in preserving foreign exchange.