Business

Call to upgrade Peliyagoda rubber testing center

by Ramani Kangaraarachchi

A producer, buyer meeting at the SME Fair Picture by Sumanachandra Ariyawansa

Small and Medium Entrpreneurs have to be real partners of large scale manufacturers and enjoy the benefits jointly. Large scale manufacturers depend on SMEs to move forward.

Therefore understanding each other properly and building confidence between the two parties is very important, CEO Samson Group Ranjith Hettiarachchi said. He was addressing the Large Enterprises and SMEs in the Rubber Product Manufacturing Sector at the first ever SME Fair held at Hotel Trans Asia Colombo last Friday.

Hettiarachchi said that the SMEs cannot move forward in isolation any more and they could get many advantages such as transferring technology, contribution to financial growth, and uplifting living standard. by linking with the large sector manufacturers.

Executive Committee Member, Association of SMEs 'for Rubber Products Dilan Ilapperuma said that their association consists of about 50 members with a long experience in the industry and they could grow stronger together.

He requested the large manufacturers to assist SMI rubber sector by sub contracting part of their work, and provide necessary technical advice to upgrade their technical skills which would provide opportunity to increase export volumes without an additional investment.

He lamented that SMI companies do not possess modern R and D facilities and testing equipment and they depend on only the three development and testing centres namely Rubber Research Institute, ITI and the Rubber Development Centre of IDB in Peliyagoda.

He proposed the government to upgrade the Peliyagoda Centre in order to have proper testing facilities for the SME sector at reduced rates as the charges at other centres are too costly.

The government of Sri Lanka and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce with the assistance of GTZ identified SMEs as an important strategic sector which can play an important role in economic development through employment creation, income generation, poverty alleviation and reduction of regional disparities.