ADVERTORIAL

Melfort launches green tea

Ramani KANGARAARACHCHI

The Melfort and Sanquhar Green Teas , introduced their super quality green tea products to the local market recently for the first time. Initially this product will be available at their head office at Peliyagoda. The first sample was presented to Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe at the Plantation Ministry.

Melfort Deputy Managing Director Tiran Peiris told Daily News Business that the product gives 28 medicinal benefits to the consumers and there is a growing demand in the country for green tea.

As such the company decided to give the opportunity to local people to consume this product. Melfort Tea has the only green tea processing plant in Sri Lanka which produces green tea by sourcing "estate fresh green leaves" that guarantee freshness and quality at the highest levels.

He said that the unique blend which is inherent to Melfort Green Tea is due to the exceptional climatic conditions and the rich fertile soil that is exclusively prevalent to the estate. Their ability to retain the aroma, the flavour and the natural goodness of the green tea is due to the stringent fully computerized tea processing mechanism that is deployed at the factory. The grade mix is purely based on the original Chinese green tea formula and processing recipe. This has 25 medical benefits

The Melfort Tea Estate produces high quality "Ceylon Green Tea" by also using China Jat tea bushes that are meticulously cared for in the entire process of plucking, handling and processing.

"The Melfort Green Tea Factory has a production capacity which ranges from 420 metric tons to 650 metric tons per annum and it is accredited with HACCP food safety management systems and ISO 22000 Standards.

Our secretive yet superior art of processing along with the skilled tasters have given us the position as the market leader in the green tea exporting industry in Sri Lanka.

Over the years our estates have produced nothing less than the finest quality green tea that has won not only the hearts but also the mind, body and soul of passionate tea drinkers," he said.

Levi's opens third store in Moratuwa

The world's largest and most loved jeanswear brand, Levi's opened its third store at the K-Zone in Moratuwa. Softlogic, the authorized distributor for Levi's in Sri Lanka unveiled another addition to its unique retail store concept.

With its Levi's flagship store down Dharmapala Mawatha Colombo 3 and second store down Duplication Road, opening the third store in Moratuwa was an optimal fit to cater to the trend setting youth and brand loyalists in and around the vicinity.

The store opening before the New Year in April, saw customers visiting the store to make their Avurudhu purchases.

The Levi's store is sited as one of the most sought after shops at the K-Zone with the store being designed to international standards in keeping with Levi's brand shops worldwide and to provide its customers a unique and exclusive world class shopping experience.

Product detailed visual merchandizing helps customers to shop by themselves without disturbance and taking their own space and time. Five spacious and fully equipped dressing rooms are on hand to provide the customers adequate fit-on space and comfort.

A wide range of Levi's products to suit each customer's needs and unique buying propositions are on offer. Starting from the iconic Levi's 501 Jeans, to the cutting edge fashion represented by Levi's Redloop, the recently launched Levi's Curve ID range for women - women's line of custom fit jeans made to fit the curve of a woman's body, and a volley of tops and accessories too are available. The Levi's store has a well trained sales team, fully geared to attend to all customers with a friendly and inviting service at any time.

The store is open daily from 10 am to 8 pm, including Sundays.

With the hope of catering to the exclusive client base in Moratuwa and surroundings Levi's will be coming up with various promotions from time to time to add value to its customers for each purchase they make at the store.

Twenty five percent off is available to all HSBC Premier and Sampath Bank credit cardholders in-store.

Tread the path of professionals with SLIIT MSc. degrees

Information technology is a constantly evolving industry which has transformed into one of the most lucrative and competitive industries today. In keeping with the demands and rising standards of the industry in the country, the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) offers suitably structured Masters degree programmes with the aim of consistently producing highly qualified IT specialists to develop and take this industry forward.

SLIIT's flexible two-year Masters degree programmes consist of four semesters (14 weeks each), which are offered in the following streams; Master of Science in Information Technology (IT), Master of Science in Information Management (IM) and Master of Science in Information Systems (IS). Candidates who successfully complete the first two semesters (one year) will be eligible to receive the Postgraduate Diploma. The programmes are structured in a manner expedient to students who wish to continue their studies up to PhD level, where they will be provided with the requisite knowledge and tools necessary to further more individual and self-directed research required for PhD studies.

Master of Science in Information Technology (IT)

This programme is specifically designed for graduates in the fields of information technology, computer science and computer engineering and provides participants with core advanced knowledge and skills in IT, which is supplemented by a range of options within the areas of software engineering, computer networks, e-business technologies, database management, and business Information Systems. The degree is designed to focus on current industry trends and emerging developments in IT, in addition to providing in-depth knowledge concerning advanced topics for participants to competently function as high-level specialists, advisors, consultants, project managers and practitioners in the field of IT.

Master of Science in Information Management (IM)

MSc. in Information Management offers participants an edge in modern business development and planning using information technology tools, and is especially designed for graduates and members of professional bodies with managerial experience. The programme places strong focus on guiding participants through a proven framework which integrates IT with business which leads them towards developing a comprehensive Information strategic plan. Participants will be equipped with Information literacy skills and a strong technical background necessary to function effectively within an organization within fast changing business environments replete with computer networks, electronic publishing and the Internet.

On successful completion of the programme, participants will be able to utilize information systems effectively within their organisations, evaluate and select appropriate methods and technologies for representing, managing and disseminating information. They will thus be able to develop a critical awareness of modern Information and Communication Technology applications for strategic management and decision-making, and to decide on the IT infrastructure most relevant to the respective organisation.

Master of Science in Information Systems (IS)

The Master of Science in Information Systems (IS) programme is designed for non-IT graduates who have specialized in other disciplines and who wish to acquire up-to-date knowledge and skills in IT so that they can competently participate in any aspect of information systems development and management within an organisation. This degree also provides participants an opportunity to embark on a lucrative IT-related career. MSc. in information systems is focused on developing strong technical competence in modern IT practices and offers participants breadth of choice and depth of understanding in the application of IT in a variety of contexts.

Entry requirements for these degree programmes require a Bachelors Degree from these respective fields or a related field from SLIIT or a recognized University or Institute or membership from a recognized professional institute in a relevant field as approved by SLIIT with relevant experience, where necessary.

SLIIT Academic Affairs, Research and Postgraduate Studies Dean Dr Koliya Pulasinghe emphasized the role SLIIT plays in catering to the local IT industry. "SLIIT possesses the capacity to transform graduates into highly skilled professionals who embark on a lifelong learning process through the institutes focus on research and development, which ensures that they are constantly up-to-date with emerging trends in the industry," he said.

SLIIT Senior Lecturer and Postgraduate Course Coordinator Dr Samantha Thelijjagoda said that the goal of these well-structured and locally developed Master's degree programmes is to produce skilled specialists who will contribute towards applying their knowledge and expertise to address the needs of the local IT industry by producing innovative IT solutions within the modern business and industry sectors, utilize IT strategic planning skills in enterprises that make use of large scale IT applications, and competently undertake research and development within this industry as well as business enterprises.

"By providing many pathways through which students can hone their skills in specific areas within this field, we aim to nurture a new generation of experts who will stamp their contribution towards the development of the local industry as well as the region," said SLIIT President and CEO Professor Lalith Gamage.

"SLIIT takes immense pride in continually expanding its facilities to provide students with much needed opportunities to further their goals and careers," said SLIIT Chairman Professor S. Karunaratne. Recognized as the foremost tertiary level institution in the country, providing education in the spheres of information technology, business administration and electronic engineering, SLIIT continues to progress to satisfy a demanding and constantly evolving industry.

Dialog Merit Scholarships to 2009 O/L scholars

Thirty students who excelled in mathematics at District and National level in the 2009 G. C. E. Ordinary Level examination were presented with scholarships by Dialog Axiata. The scholarships were handed over by Education Minister, Bandula Gunewardena, and Dialog Axiata Group Chief Executive, Dr Hans Wijayasuriya, and each student will receive a sum of Rs 2,500 monthly, until the completion of their Advanced Levels.

The Dialog Merit Scholarship Programme is in its eighth year of operation, and over 400 students from all over the island have benefited under this scheme. The Scholarship is awarded to the five students who score top marks in mathematics at the Ordinary Level examination, and 25 male and female students who score top marks in every district. In addition to the scholarship programme for O-Level students, Dialog Axiata also extends scholarships to top-performing Advanced Level students to help pursue higher studies in the field of Engineering.

Dialog Axiata is committed to empowering the education in Sri Lanka, with special emphasis on the provision of parity education opportunities to students in rural Sri Lanka. Dialog's Nenasa TV, Sri Lanka's only satellite-based distance education network connects over 500 rural schools islandwide.

IASL designates Insurance Awareness Creation Day:

Bid to enhance public confidence in policies

The Insurance Association of Sri Lanka [IASL], has designated May 5 as 'Insurance Awareness Creation Day', with the objective of increasing the awareness on insurance and building confidence amongst all stakeholders.

Addressing the media, IASL President, Ramal Jasinghe, said that Sri Lanka has a long-standing history in Insurance dating back to British colonial times. "Today the industry comprises 18 insurance companies offering either Life insurance, Non Life (General) Insurance or both classes together as composite insurers. However, the 'Insurance Product' has not been perceived positively and understood correctly by the general public when compared with other financial services in the market, mainly due to the lack of awareness of the concept of insurance among the insurable public".

The IASL has dedicated May 5 to launch its insurance awareness campaign.

Oracle releases new version

Responding to increasing developer demand of millions of annual downloads; Oracle yesterday announced Oracle GlassFish Server 3.1 and an update to the Java Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE) 6 software development kit (SDK) distribution through the latest release of the Java EE 6 Reference Implementation.

Oracle GlassFish Server is based on its open source counterpart, GlassFish Server Open Source Edition.

It is strengthened by a vibrant developer community and allows customers more control over their product deployments through the publicly available roadmap of product features and priorities. This new release delivers on the roadmap laid out at JavaOne 2010 with a focus on new high availability features specifically in the areas of load balancing, failover, state management and centralized administration.

As the reference implementation for Java EE, Oracle GlassFish Server is also the proving grounds for the upcoming Java EE 7. Oracle has already begun working within the Java Community Process (JCP) to submit Java Specification Requests (JSRs) as part of Java EE 7, including JPA 2.1 and JAX-RS 2.0.

Dynamix Business School launches ILM

Dynamix Business School and Associate Company of Dynamix International Consultancy (FranklinCovey Sri Lanka and Maldives and Results Coaching Systems) have signed up an agreement with the Institute of Leadership and Management UK in order to help the Practising Managers and Leaders learn and practise new management and leadership thinking.

The Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) UK, supports, develops and informs leaders and managers at every stage of their careers. ILM partners with Dynamix Business School to help individuals and organizations increase their potential and achieve success. With the broad range of industry leading qualifications, membership services and learning resources, ILM provides flexible development solutions that can be blended to meet the specific needs of employers and learners.

ILM programs are built on in-depth research and carefully conceived to meet the skills requirements of the industries and professionals in which they are used. ILM's Diploma in Leadership and Management for Advance Managers being Lunched by Dynamix Business Schhol (DBS) shortly is a program tailored to deliver cost-effective career-long support and development to the Practising Manager.

DBS having embracing ILM's Philosophy of 'Skilled managers and leaders hold the key to creating productive workforces that deliver organizational and economic successes' has decided to offer the learning opportunity to Managers seeking a course that has a larger percentage of practical involvement. ILM qualifications enable learners to build up their leadership and management skills and knowledge, while gaining recognition for their professional achievements. And because assessment of ILM qualifications is practically-based, this learning is transferred directly into the work environment to the benefit of employers and learners alike.

ILM is part of City and Guilds Group, the global leader in vocational training, trusted by two million learners every year, with 50 years experience as an awarding body, ILM is the market leader in the management and leadership qualifications, registering over 90,000 learners annually.

Every learner working towards an ILM qualification or recognized program can access free studying membership. This membership provides a range of study support and resources, including access to the ILM online library, e-books and e-journal service, qualification regarding lists and study guides.

The ILM IQual Diploma in Leadership and Management for Advanced Managers is a challenging qualification that provides formal development for practising managers working across all industries. It covers a wide range of management skills providing the comprehensive knowledge required for the Practising Manager.

There are four mandatory units which cover the essential skills and knowledge for effective management including understanding the management role and leading innovation and change.

The remaining units are built to boost further professional development, and meet the specific needs of your workplace.

Dynamix Business School is the first Business School to embark on this journey and with ILM in Sri Lanka. DBS will have the first two intakes happening in May with programs scheduled both for weekday evening and weekends.

As islandwide operations expand:

SriLankan Air Taxi acquires aircraft

SriLankan Air Taxi took delivery of its second De Havilland Twin Otter aircraft as it continues to expand its popular operations throughout the island.

Sri Lankan's Worldwide Sales Head, Mohamed Fazeel said, "SriLankan Air Taxi is rapidly growing in popularity among both foreign tourists and Sri Lankans.

The second Twin Otter will give us more flexibility to serve the needs of our diverse customers and will also allow us to operate daily flights to more towns and cities."

The twin-engined aircraft was flown in to Bandaranaike International Airport from Canada on April 1. The floatplane has a capacity to carry over 15 passengers in comfort, making any area of the country accessible within an hour.

SriLankan's Marketing Manager Pradeep Durairaj said, "SriLankan Air Taxi has served to re-position the country's tourism industry at a higher level by providing an alternative to surface transport, which in turn means that travellers can avoid the hassle of long road journeys and getting caught in traffic. We reduce a six-hour journey to just one hour." The domestic arm of SriLankan Airlines was re-launched last December and now operates to lakes, rivers and lagoons around the island.

They include water-dromes in Colombo (Kelani River), Kandy (Polgolla and Victoria), Nuwara Eliya, Bentota, Hambantota, Ampara, Koggala, and Tangalle.

Plans are being finalized to commence operations to Castlereagh, Ampara, Dambulla and several other towns in eastern and north-central Sri Lanka. Air Taxi also operates a daily service along the southern and southwestern coastlines between Dickwella, Koggala, Bentota and Colombo. Daily flights to Nuwara Eliya have been introduced and are operating with full loads.

Daily flights to Kandy will be introduced from May 2011.

SriLankan Air Taxi recently launched scenic flights on weekends, with the low-flying aircraft providing a breathtaking panoramic view of the island's beaches, forests, mountains, and waterfalls.

Air Taxi also operates special services for events such as the Cricket World Cup when it carried cricket fans to Hambantota and Kandy.

The Twin Otter is the first of seven aircraft that SriLankan Airlines plans to acquire this year.

Piramal Glass declares 30 percent dividend

Piramal Glass Ceylon Plc (PGC), made record profits for FY2011 by performing exceptionally well in all spheres of the business.

Revenue achieved for the year was Rs 4.16 billion witnessing a growth of 18 percent as against Rs 3.52 billion for the previous year. The Profit After Tax (PAT) was Rs 578 million, equating to 14 percent of turnover as against the loss of Rs 61 million recorded in FY2010. With this exceptional performance the Board of Directors has declared a first & final dividend of 30 percent.

PGC's Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, Sanjay Tiwari said, "We're proud to report the best ever annual results for PGC. This year we started reaping the returns of the extensive investments on our new facility at Horana."

With peace being restored in the region, the domestic market contributed significantly during the year under review. The various segments of local market added towards the domestic market growth of 34 percent from Rs 2.35 billion to Rs 3.16 billion. Volume wise also there was a growth of 26 percent.

The main contributor to the profitability was the premium export market segment. The company ensured that the export sales crossed the Rs 1 billion mark for the second consecutive year. Several new products were designed and launched in the export market which yielded high realization to the profitability.

The export product portfolio saw a gradual shift from mass market to high end premium market segment yielding higher realizations.

Speciality (high end) market segment grew by 24 percent in volume from 8,607 tonnes to 10,660 tonnes while the company voluntarily reduced the mass market segment by 60 percent.

The manufacturing facility also contributed to ensure a cost effective bottle being produced. Improved efficiencies and speeds contributed towards the final profitability. During the period the company was able to produce 11 percent more than the previous year. This helped the company maintain the cost of bottles amidst the raw material costs increases. The unprecedented increase in energy prices namely LPG Gas, electricity tariff and furnace oil has impacted the over all cost of production.

During the year, PGC was accredited with ISO 22000:2005 certifications designed for food and safety. The company has already received certification for complying with ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System. This new accreditation is a testimony to the best in class systems and processors followed by the company. The continuous achievements of Piramal Glass Ceylon during FY2011 were also recognized by external agencies with several awards. PGC received the Gold Medal in Large Category at National Chamber of Exports Export Awards, Merit Award for Industrial Excellence at Ceylon National Chamber of Industries Achievers Awards, Gold Award in Manufacturing Sector and Silver Award in the Best Tech Savvy Company segment at the National Business Excellence awards organized by National Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka and a Bronze Award at the Lanka Star 2010 organized by Sri Lanka institute of Packaging.

"We are indeed thrilled at the performance of Piramal Glass Ceylon. This is also evident from the closing share price which has grown five times as compared to March 31, 2010. Also the Market Capitalization crossed Rs 10.5 billion as compared to Rs 2.1 billion at the beginning of the year," Sanjay Tiwari said.

Vijay Shah, Chairman Piramal Glass Ceylon PLC said, "We are confident that with the growing domestic markets coupled with potential of premium export market, the company would continue to strive towards excellent performance in the future too. We also would like to acknowledge the trust and confidence placed by our stakeholders. We have suitably rewarded by way of a proposal of 30 percent final dividend for the year 2010/11."

Style and sophistication with Dulux Ambiance

Creating an atmosphere that reflects one's innate style by using colours creatively, is the sole purpose of the newly launched Dulux Ambiance. Bold, bright, mellow and vibrant, the colours within the Dulux Ambiance range defines a new standard in decorative paints and opens a whole new world of colour allowing one to step away from the norm and experiment; be it to bring out one's inner child or even showcase one's dark side.

The Dulux Ambiance range of colours are meticulously chosen by an international panel of experts consisting of renowned interior designers, fashion designers and architects who analyze global fashion trends and decide on the colour palette, which in turn allow consumers to be in step with the latest style and colour trends.

This year Dulux Ambiance brings 38 colours which allow customers to revel in their own personal style.

Dulux will, through their colour preview services and guidance assist their consumers to select a palette while giving them the freedom to express their personality in their homes confidently through the use of these bold and vibrant colours.

Dulux Ambiance was launched to the trend setters in the business world and fashion world of Sri Lanka at a glamorous event held at Water's Edge recently appropriately themed 'Renaissance for Designs'. Celebrating the vibrant colours of the Ambiance range, undergraduates of fashion design from the Moratuwa University's Architecture Faculty presented a show which merged both the ambiance colours and fashion, impeccably.

Akzo Nobel Paints Lanka (Pvt) Ltd Managing Director Gerald de Saram said that this new range of paints would allow consumers to showcase their fashionable side.

He said "there is no right or wrong way to use colour, it's all about individuality and how you choose to express your own individuality".

AkzoNobel Decorative Paints Worldwide Managing Director Tex Gunning, said that products like Dulux Ambiance would add to the excitement of adding colour to people's lives, which is the single minded intent for AkzoNobel decorative paints business.

Suited to the tastes of each individual, whether it be classical, bold, fun or quirky, the Dulux Ambiance range of interior colours, which are available islandwide in one litre and five litre cans, guarantee style and sophistication in any living space, while bringing 'fashion for walls'.

Ceylinco Insurance - General rewards sales team

Ceylinco Insurance - General recognized and handsomely rewarded its sales team at the recently held Annual Sales Conference and Awards Ceremony 2010.

The event showcased the company's outstanding talent, rewarding its top performers. The event was attended by the Insurance Ombudsman of Sri Lanka Dr Wikrema Wirasooria, as the guest of honour.

The gala event, held under the theme: When it comes to serving our customers nothing stands in our way, was attended by over 1,300 sales personnel and senior members of the staff. Over 550 sales personnel received awards, accorded on stringent rewards criteria; the top achievers were categorized as Members, Certificate Members, and the Bronze, Silver and Gold categories, rising to the zenith, the much coveted Hall of Fame. Along with rewards based on these categories, seven members were recognized and welcomed into the prestigious Hall of Fame, of which two qualified for a brand new BMW car. The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Ajith Gunawardena, who in his speech paid a glowing tribute to his staff for their valiant efforts, also said, "I thank the shareholders for the confidence placed in the company and its management, as well as the Central Bank Governor the regulator, the Insurance Board of Sri Lanka, the relevant authorities, re-insurers and re-insurance brokers, agents and brokers, and all our loyal clients, without whose support and belief in us, we could not have achieved what we have achieved. I salute their loyalty and steadfastness," he added.

Deputy Chief Executive Director Patrick Alwis, said: "We achieved excellent results for 2010, due to the commitment, loyalty and team work of our staff, and we express our deep gratitude to all of them.

Similarly, we are certain that the same commitment will be displayed in the years to come, taking the company to even greater heights."