Bartleet helps turnaround of private tea factory

Despite extensive changes to the management at Bartleet Group over the past six months, the Group has overcome its difficulties and continues to perform well under the leadership of its Chairman, Eraj Wijesinghe.

One notable accomplishment of the Group's marketing division, Bartleet Produce Marketing (Pvt) Ltd, the official broker of the Pinnawala Tea Factory has seen the factory emerge from a loss making venture to the top achiever of the 'Specialty Tea of The Year Competition 2005' UVA Medium Category. Manager of the tea factory Roshan Gunerathne was presented an award for this achievement at the 113th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Colombo Tea Traders' Association (CTTA) held in June 2007, an achievement of 15 top prices in the small leaf grade and 23 top prices in the leafy category.

Gunerathne was again felicitated this past week with a Certificate of Achievement and plaque at a ceremony held at 'Bartleet House'. This is the first such achievement for Pinnawala Tea Factory, originally established in 1910 and a member of Balangoda Plantations Ltd. Bartleets Chairman Eraj Wijesinghe said teas are mainly sold by reputation and will therefore ensure that the high standards and quality of the product will be maintained.

Director and CEO of Balangoda Plantations, Lalith Obeysekera said the changes which took place at Bartleet caused him some concern because 40% of the company's produce is sold through the Bartleet catalogue. Obeysekera said people were expecting Bartleet's to crash but after a few hiccups, the job was executed well. He added that the Pinnawala Tea Factory had been running at a loss and they had contemplated shutting the factory altogether. However, Gunerathne rose to the challenge, that being to make tea that is sellable, and turned the factory around. Obeysekera said he looks forward to a better relationship with Bartleet.

Since Gunerathne's entrance and dynamic work ethic, this factory has been elevated as one of the top achievers in the tea industry and has ranked second in the Uva district in 2004, first in 2005 and second in 2006, emerging as a profit making centre. It is also the leading company in the Balangoda Plantations umbrella since 2004 to date.

Pinnawala's National Sale Average which idled at Rs.117 has now sprung to Rs.290 and continues to maintain its high standards as a result of the efforts of the energetic staff and manger. "We will work for many more such achievements in the future as well," said Gunerathne. His next aim is to obtain the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) certification for the factory and has already begun the preliminary stages.