| Business |
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United Motors records increase in market share United Motors Lanka Limited (UMLL), one of the pioneers in the vehicle importing industry in Sri Lanka, has recorded a sharp increase in its brand new vehicle market share in 2001 with market share rising to 47.2 percent from 26 percent in 1998. Although there was a reduction in vehicle sales in general last year, UMLL adopted several strategies to overcome the challenges with Managing Director Anil Wijesinghe putting it down to a team effort by the staff and the enhanced services rendered by UMLL as being the major factors behind this achievement, a company statement said. Last year in April UMLL launched its flagship sedans - Magna and Verada - followed by the launch of the latest Mitsubishi Lancer in July with 20 Lancers being sold prior to the launch and the first shipment of 30 vehicles being sold out soon after the launch. United Motors also tied-up with John Keells and Nations Trust Bank and launched the 'United Motors Nexus' co-branded loyalty card which is seen as a value-added service to its customers. This prompted many Mitsubishi car owners to purchase genuine spare parts and other vehicle related services from the company. The state of the art workshop situated in Orugodawatte was also upgraded to meet the demands of an increasing customer base. The complete service offered at Orugodawatte is now available in the heart of Colombo after the expansion programme of the "UniMo" Auto World was undertaken. Trading-in of vehicles, leasing and hiring of vehicles to the corporate sector were further enhanced when it was handed over to the Orient Motor Company Limited (OMCL), a fully-owned subsidiary of UMLL. Qtex
to market ad space
Wayamba chamber's Chinese connection According to Hildon Hamangoda, WCCI's Director General, it had decided to tie up with the Chinese chamber because China is a huge market and a rapidly developing economic power with great potential. "After China opened up its economy the whole world focuses on Chinese markets. We feel that this is a good time for us to look at China because no other country can compete with China's production strength," he said. The MoU will be signed during a visit of a Sri Lankan business delegation comprising Industries Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and businessmen from both Kurunegala and Colombo to China, Thailand and Hong Kong from April 17-25. The business tour is organised by the Sri Lanka-China Business Corporation Council of Wayamba and the Wayamba Chamber of Commerce and Industry. NTB
to buy Amex business The Nations Trust Bank has started talks with American Express Bank to purchase its banking and foreign exchange services business in Sri Lanka, subject to statutory approvals, it said in a statement.
Outward Bound gets full international licence
status Ian Wade, Executive Director of Outward Bound International visited Sri Lanka during November 17-19, 2001 for safety and quality review and examined the activities of OBTSL in all its aspects. He was impressed with the safety and quality review and quality standards of the programmes as well as the professional manner in which the programmes are executed by OBTSL, the statement said. Outward Bound Trust of Sri Lanka, a non-profit organisation which was established in 1988 conducts professional development outward bound training programmes in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Business Development Centre (SLEDC). Lt. Gen. Denis Perera is the President Emeritus of OBTSL with Maj. Gen. Devinda Kalupahana as President and Charitha Ratwatte as Chairman of the Executive Committee. ComBank
gives Jaffna its ATM The ATM, Commercial Bank's 118th, would be an invaluable link with the outside world to Jaffna's populace, by providing instant access not only to the bank's local network but also to nearly one million Cirrus network ATMs all over the world, he said. "We are proud to be the first bank to provide electronic banking to Jaffna," Gooneratne said. "Jaffna was the only one of our 100 branches that was not computer linked to the network and we are very happy that our branch in Jaffna, which dates back to the early 1900s, was able to provide this pioneering facility." |
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