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Micro makes Lanka proud

When most institutes import motor vehicles and sell them in Sri Lanka, Micro Cars manufactures motor vehicles in Sri Lanka and sell them in Sri Lanka. This is a different concept: Micro Cars founder and CEO Dr Lawrence Perera explains more in this interview.

Q: What made you to move into such a concept?

A: It is the normal practice for most companies to import vehicles. For the first time late Upali Wijewardene made an attempt to manufacture vehicles in Sri Lanka. But he did not get the support of the then governments in power. If he got the necessary support then, by now we would have been in the manufacturing business of motor vehicles, leading even India and China.


A recently manufactured Micro product

I am a motor engineer by profession. I had a dream to manufacture a motor vehicle in Sri Lanka. Rather than assemble them here by importing parts. At this point, the knowledge I had gained locally and abroad in motor engineering was a great advantage for me to design a motor vehicle.

I think a motor vehicle is a dream which even a child would treasure. To design a motor vehicle and manufacture it in Sri Lanka itself is a dream. For various reasons the price of imported vehicles are higher but by manufacturing a motor vehicle in Sri Lanka, I had a dream that the price can be reduced to a great extent. I wanted to make that change.

Q: As you have said, in comparison to imported vehicles, what are the prevailing prices of Micro motor vehicles and what type of vehicles do you manufacture in Sri Lanka?

A: As at today we assemble all types of vehicles required for transport. At the same time we have commenced manufacturing agricultural vehicles that can be used in paddy fields. The price of the vehicles are in the range of Rs one million to Rs twenty million. Through our efforts we have afforded even middle class families to own a vehicle of their own.

Q: In addition to these vehicles are there any other type of vehicles which you intend to manufacture in the near future?

A: Yes. Our next attempt is to design and manufacture a train. Although trains had been introduced to Sri Lanka more than 160 years ago, no one had taken a keen interest to develop this mode of transport. Micro Institute by now has designed a train that suits the Sri Lankan terrain. Our next aim is to manufacture the train we had already designed.

Q: Up to now you had established yourself in Colombo. But now branches had been established in Kandy and even in Matara. If you can comment on the arrival of Micro Institute in Matara?

A: A person in the south has to go all the way to Colombo to purchase a vehicle. To fulfill their needs I thought that Micro institute should be established in Matara too. The development that is taking place in the south is an added attraction. We intend to establish a Micro manufacturing unit in the proposed Hambanthota industrial zone. The most convenient central place for the people in the South will be Matara. Hence my decision to establish a branch in Matara, and a branch in Kandy.


Dr Lawrence Perera

Q: At the motor vehicle exhibition recently held in China, Micro was presented with awards. Your customers would like to know about them?

A: At the motor vehicle exhibition held in Shanghai China by motor vehicle industry, once in two years, Micro was presented with two awards. At this award ceremony we were appreciated for having being selected by two institutes Hafei and Geely as their agents. It has to be mentioned that when Geely company purchased the Volvo car company, they automatically obtained the Volvo car technology too. Accordingly Micro institute too obtained the safety and precautionary methods adopted by Geely company. As an example we can mention that the Panda car has gained popularity in Sri Lanka. The safety precautions of this vehicle includes air bags. ABS EBS brake system and 7* c/n cap system as installed in European countries. We intend to export Panda system vehicles very soon and earn considerable foreign exchange for the country.

Q: What kind of demand do the customers have for your products?

A: When Micro commenced business in 1999 I had a fear. Because our people have a habit of rejecting local products. By now the situation has changed, almost by 60 percent from the situation that prevailed in 1999. By now the people of Sri Lanka has changed their view and concepts on locally manufactured products.

As at present we are finding it difficult to fulfill the demands for our products. We give a two year guarantee on our products, since we are sure and satisfied about our products. We intend to extend it to three years. We are constructing a service center at Peliyagoda which was the capacity to handle 240 vehicles at one and the same time.

Q: How did you meet all the challenges that you had to face in manufacturing process?

A: It is natural that a person as a normal human being, as a businessman, as a designer of vehicles has to face all kinds of challenges. When others import motor vehicles, I manufactured a motor vehicle in Sri Lanka. It was a challenge for me. The competition in motor vehicle field still persists.

This competition would push our institute further up. When I start a project I do not perceive how far I could go. I prefer to move ahead. It is not my concept to make forecasts about anything. I do not turn back without making a success of any project I would start.

Q: What would be your final target as a designer of motor vehicles?

A: I believe that in transport the self respect of a passenger should be preserved. Even when transporting animals in a vehicle there is limit as to number of animals that can be transported. But when travelling in a bus if the number of passengers are limited to 50, almost 100 passengers would travel in it.

This situation should change and it is not the responsibility of the government alone. Others too should contribute to bring about these changes. My final target is to design a proper passenger transport vehicle - that would be of benefit to Sri Lankans.

************

It is natural that a person as a normal human being, as a businessman, as a designer of vehicles has to face all kinds of challenges. When others import motor vehicles, I manufactured a motor vehicle in Sri Lanka. It was a challenge for me. The competition in motor vehicle field still persists. This competition would push our institute further up. When I start a project I do not perceive how far I could go. I prefer to move ahead. It is not my concept to make forecasts about anything. I do not turn back without making a success of any project I would start

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