While family businesses are fading away and new ventures overwriting them, the Bernard Botejue Group in Kohuwala has reversed this trend and moved from stitching to strength to strength and laid the foundation to stay afloat for another 70 years.
It was the love for a fabric, needle and a thread that created The Bernard Botejue Group way back in 1948 by Bernard Botejue who first started making banians (vest) for the local market competing against the imported British vest. Having being employed as a Librarian at the Medical College and a supervisor at Ceylon Hosiery Company he did not have access to large capital. Undeterred he then managed to borrow cash from Dr P.R. Anthonis, the famed surgeon and also few other friends to kick start his business seven decades ago.
Armed with not only cash but courage and a strong future plan he then imported sewing machines from Japan and employed three women. The business move on becoming an instant success story and within one year of operations ‘Bernard Banians’ became a house hold name and due to high demand the employee strength increased to 58.
This success gave him additional confidence and then he moved in to making socks and caps which too caught up in the local market.
With his marriage to Hema in 1956 Botejue received another moral boost with his better half too joining the business and bringing in more innovation and the much needed ‘ladies touch’ to it.
To give a corporate feel to the company the business was transformed in to the limited liability company in 1967.
The year 1967 was significant for the business when the Colombo Plan offered Hema a scholarship to Germany for advanced training in the field. After their return with more technological innovation behind them the company moved in to making of Polo T-shirts, underwear and ladies frocks which too caught up instantly.
The present Managing Director of Bernard Botejue Industries, Janaka Botejue going down memory lane recalled the dedication of his father as he drove around the country selling banians until they were sold out.
Though closed economy was a bane for some it turned out to be a major success for the company. “There were traders coming to place orders even at dusk and keeping money on the table as advances to secure orders and pleading to accept them.”
“Everything we made was sold instantly but my parent’s never compromised quality nor increased the prices to make a quick gain,”
With the introduction of the open economy in 1977 Bernard Botejue Industries, switched gears at the right time and looked at the export market. “It was the Export Development Board that helped us in 1978 to take part in our first international exhibition in New York which opened up new technological ideas and most importantly helped us to find foreign buyers.”
“We subsequently tied up with an US and Hong Kong company and for the first time foreign exchange started to flow down to Bernard Botejue Industries.”
The Apparel quota system which was introduced during this time too was an asset to us and helped to intensify exports.
Janaka Botejue also recalled that President Premadasa too was a tower of strength in the rise of the apparel industry in Sri Lanka through his 200 garment factories program. “We also saw an opportunity (not an obligation) and opened a factory and embroidery and printing plant in Kolonna Embilipitiya which is a great asset to us even today.”
The Colombo factory was downsized due to labour shortages, while focus was transferred to Hambantota to bridge the gap that emerged. In 2003, both the purchase and production functions were moved to the new factory in Hambantota. In mid-2015, having taken a pragmatic look at the business model and its functions, the Hambantota plant was fully divested, forging avenues for the business to completely concentrate in Kolonna. Expansion is also now planned.
Moving on to new products the company also started to make sportswear and football jerseys.
The two factories in Kolonna and Hambantota are under the umbrella of Bernard Manufacturing and concentrate on export apparel, while Sentrino (Pvt) Limited which opened its doors in 2004 initially as an embroidery plant, has now expanded into printing as well, catering to a range of export manufacturers.
Explaining their future plans with the two Directors, Gayani and Bernand at his side said that they were planning to intensify exporters with their officers in New York and London. “We also hope to start designing our branded products in the US.”
The company has also diversified to the leisure sector with Everton Holidays which is mainlining colonial bungalows and in to holiday packages. The company also acquired Citrus entertainment to offer a different experience from their group.
The company moved in to a BOI venture after a somewhat bad era during 1990 decade but this soon turned around. The company also made use of its large two acre space in Kohuwela and opened up a special commercial zone, Bernards Business Park which is now being used by 10 companies including Perera and Sons and Cargills Food City and also their sales outlet.
“We also hope to increase our Research and Development facilities and look at more innovative products that are in demand.”
Asked if they plan to list, the trio answered in the negative and said that they have continued for 70 years as a family business and wish to remain that way.
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