Supply and retail chain enhances exports
APL operates in 60 countries around the world with its own offices, staff and infrastructure to serve buyers and suppliers on a global scale and to bring value to its business unlike other businesses that operate through agents. APL’s core businesses have been revolving around the apparel industry since 1992 by retailing apparel products. Director APL Logistics Sri Lanka Dileepa Dissanayake said at an APL event held at the Galle Face Hotel Colombo recently.
He said APL operates to deliver medical, automotive and industrial and consumer products globally where it holds 33 per cent of the market share in Sri Lanka. “We have recently moved into providing hub services for businesses in addition to three other operators in the country. We have our own hubs in countries like Dubai, Hong Kong and Seoul that can provide solutions to business. In essence we are a retail company and a service provider although we offer freight forwarding and act as a consolidator. We have exported 81 million pieces from Sri Lanka over the years which itself is a lion’s share of the business. Safety, security, and ethics are the core value of our business,” he said.
Senior Lecturer of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Dr. Niles Perera said Sri Lanka has the expertise to add value to the global value chain. Most of the global companies were able to navigate logistics and the supply chains of the world as they possessed prior knowledge of products. ”Today consumers are more interested in learning from where the food comes from due to a scare in Europe a few years back that horse meat was sold as beef to customers. The Moratuwa University has a platform to facilitate to enhance supply chains,” he said.
Chief Guest Suren Abeysekara, chairman of the Shippers Council said the exports manufacturing sector including the Sri Lanka apparel sector still follows an outdated system. However a new trend had emerged and more buyers are moving in that supply chain direction, but more businesses need support to enforce such mechanism.