'Lumiere Textiles delivers fabric even before official opening'

Lumiere Textiles Limited, a US $ 15 million BOI (Board of Investment) approved investment for the production of knitted fabric in Sri Lanka, successfully commenced delivering fabric to its first set of customer orders in November last year.

The garments made out of this fabric would reach the stores of a world renowned retailer soon. The 95% Cotton, 5% Elastane, 135 GSM Single Jersey fabric delivered, had been one of the most needed fabric in Sri Lanka, used for the production of intimate garments. What had been special about this delivery is that it also included printed fabric. Incidentally, Lumiere became the first Textile Mill in the country to be equipped with the rotary printing capability from the commencement of operations. It was a tough and challenging task for the start-up company to come into commercial production within one and half years of signing the agreement with the BOI.

Lumiere Textiles has come into production at a time when the Sri Lankan government had given special attention to the industry which is not surprising, since around 40% of the export revenue of the country is generated through garment exports.

Bandula Weerasinghe, Deputy Chairman and Managing Director of the company, said that Lumiere had an immediate production capacity to produce 10,000kg (around 40,000m) of knitted fabric a day. This capacity would be increased to 20,000kg (around 80,000m) a day by purchasing further state-of- the-machinery during the coming six months."

"The infrastructure in place would enable Lumiere to increase its production capacity upto 40,000kg a day, within the next two years. Presently, it manufactures cotton and cotton blends with value addition. Viscose and viscose blends would be added to its product portfolio within the next two months."

The company was buoyant that many customers have already placed orders while others are looking forward to place their first order with Lumiere even before the official opening of the mill.

Lumiere's official opening will be held in May, when the entire building is completed in construction. Meanwhile the company would be producing knitted fabric at its current capacity of 10,000kg a day.

Lumiere Textiles would bring in a whole lot of amazing and exciting new possibilities to the entire industry. The company, with a capable and experienced management team, will no doubt achieve what many thought was impossible, changing the paradigms of fabric industry.