Under the dynamic leadership and strategic thinking of Mr. A.G.M. Bogahawatta, a highly experienced hard working, enthusiastic and courageous, Managing Director of "Finite Lanka (Pvt) Ltd", company will be soon launching Asphalt pre mix production for the carpeting of Sri Lankan roads now being built in accordance with Mahinda Chinthana Infrastructure Development Initiative. This method of road surfacing with Asphalt concrete is now being widely used in Sri Lanka and the commissioning of the Asphalt pre mix production plant at Gampaha fulfills an essential need of the country's road development programme. Mr. Bogahawatta said that the Asphalt pre mix which would be produced by his company plant would last at least 20 years.
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| Mr. A.G.M. Bogahawatta, Managing Director of "Finite Lanka (Pvt) Ltd |
Hailing from Matara Thalpawila Mr. Bogahawatte, the only son of late Mr. K.D.M.Bogahawatte and Mrs. Polwatta Gallage Gunawathi is an experienced Engineer who served in various mega irrigation schemes and hydro power projects during the period of the accelerated Mahaweli development programme, starting as an assistant Engineer then becoming a Civil Engineer and finally progressing to the level of Chief Engineer has set up his own company in the year 1996 with the support and advice given by his Japanese superiors of the Kumagai - Hazama Kajima JV headed by Mr.Kunio Furukawa and Hazama Toda C Itho JV and assistance of his wife, Mrs.Leela Bogahawatte who is also a Civil Engineer. Mr. Bogahawatte said that his wife was always behind his success in the field of Engineering, project planning and business. Mrs. Bogahawatta, is a Chartered Engineer and she was previously employed in the Mahaweli Engineering & Construction Agency and was therefore able to bring in her expertise and contacts concerning government projects.
In an exclusive interview with Sunday Times Free hold section he said that the Japanese experts were highly impressed about his work with dedication when he was serving at the Samanalawewa project had motivated him to form his own construction company. Finite Lanka still maintains its close relationship with the Japanese with regard to its projects due to the close relationship Mr. Bogahawatta has built up with them over the years. He noted that he had taken the first letters of the names of his six Japanese superiors who later became friends for the name of the company, "Finite" which undertakes Civil Engineering projects including the construction of buildings, roads, irrigation systems, water supply and drainage as well as hydro electrical projects. 'Our construction-related diversification and track record are perhaps what make us unique,' he said.' Besides, all these factors his management skills and never say die approach as well as enthusiasm in facing challenges have brought him positive results in his life. He inherited this enthusiasm and courage from his father who lost his career in the government service due to his participation in the July 1980 strike he said that adding that he and his three sisters along with his mother who was a teacher had to suffer owing to financial difficulties after his father became jobless. With great difficulty he managed to look after the family by doing odd jobs while doing his studies he added.
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| Finite Lanka team with their MD A.G.M. Bogahawatta. Pix by M.D.Nissanka |
He paid a tribute for his old school St.Thomas’s College Matara where he received his primary and secondary education. He said that a poem written by the late pioneer Sri Lankan (Sinhala) linguist, grammarian, commentator, and writer Munidasa Kumaratunge which was displayed in his school had given inspiration for his life style. Mr. Bogahawatte who has a passion for Sinhala literature has inborn talents in writing poetry and he is also a versatile lyrics writer with compassionate human qualities. About 1,500 workers are serving in his company and they are being looked after well with, substantial salaries and other benefits, he said.
The company has invested a large sum of money in its Asphalt manufacturing plant at Gampaha. Asphalt Mixing Plant was imported from China through Swedish Trading company limited and the Plant was installed by a team of Chinese technicians, said QAQC Manager of the company E.Prasanna Pallewela. He revealed that the production capacity of the plant was around 80 to 100 tons per hour. The company has taken measures to obtain the approval and certification from the Road Development Authority for their Premix Asphalt Concrete enabling them to qualify for bidding for local Road construction tenders. They have already sent samples for testing in the lab at RDA he revealed. The plant is installed at sizable area in a 12 acre block with coconut tree and they maintain the coconut land without causing any damage to environment he said.
This Asphalt Mixing Plant is a new model based on international advanced technology, developed and produced by a Chinese company. The plant which can use diesel and heavy oil as fuels to produce the mixture of asphalt concrete and mixture is widely applied to construction of diversified high-grade roads .It includes mixing plant, feeding system, drying cylinder, burner, hoister, cyclone dust collector, and water filter, control system, pneumatic system, and asphalt supplying system. The full set includes basic type, finished product warehouse, bag filter, asphalt heating system, and powder recovery system, including water filter. It has an efficient mid mounted cooling module, with a reversible hydraulic fan that clears dust and debris from plugging between coolers and maintains temperatures at a level that is suited to extended component life and minimum down time. An electronically controlled module transmission system, which provides smooth shifting, can be programmed to operate automatically in a custom shift pattern, or users can select automatic or manual modes, he said.
 Referring to the maintenance of the Plant Mr. Bogahawatte said that they were very cautious on the protection of environment and dust particles would not be discharged to environment. He noted that the company is strictly adhered to maintain quality standards and Finite Lanka (Pvt) Ltd which has already been awarded the ISO 9001-2008 Quality Management System (QMS) Certification for The scope of supervision and execution Building, Roads, Irrigation Water supply & Drainage and other civil engineering projects since 1996. Moody International (Pvt) Ltd which has been accredited by UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Services) conducted the certification Audit, he said that the Company's mission was "Concept to Completion" and the motto of the company was "Aththahi Aththa no natho- Kohinatho parosiya" according to Lord Buddha's teaching.
Finite Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, will launch its Asphalt production plant on the 5th of July in (Attanagalla electorate) Walagamulla Urapola site in Gampaha under the patronage Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa and with the blessings of Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa. Several Ministers and parliamentarians are expected to grace the launching ceremony, he said. Mr. Bogahawatte expressed his gratitude for the valuable assistance and advice given by several of his close associates, including Mr. Athula Sepala(Project Officer - President Secretariat Office), Mr D.L.W Thilakaratne (Managing Director - Thilak machinery & equipment - Waikkala) , Govinda K.Welivitiya (Proprietor of Welivitiya Construction), Keerthi Pathirana (Coodinator to Dr. Ramesh Pathirana - MP Galle District), Mr. Sunil Jayalath (Special Commissioner- Attanagalla Pradeshiya Saba), Gamini Printcett (Ceylinco Insurance) & to the neighbourhoods of Urapola & Gampaha Swrna Hansa Place. He paid a tribute to all religious leaders, who always extend their blessings for his new venture. The project gets off the ground with the financial assistance of Hatton National Bank, Commercial Bank, DFCC Bank , Seylan Bank, and Samapath Bank.
Mr.Bogahawatte further states that he has a future ambition to promote the business his twin sons now as undergraduates at throught Engineering faculty of University of Moratuwa and his only daughter who always gives helping hands to him sitting behind the screen.
During the last four years, we have been able to widen & rehabilitate with asphalt carpet 1342 km of National Highways, concreting and gravel compaction of 5586 km of rural roads under the Maga Neguma- Rural Road Development Programme". "Roads are a line of communication. Not only for development but in a country like ours where communal harmony is being strengthened, roads as lines of communication, will act as a conduit to bring people of all communities together. With developed road networks people of all ethnic groups will find it easy to move between North and South, East and West. Thus the polarization will not take place. It will bridge the cultural gap that developed over the past few decades," he said. Under this set up we are very pleased to contribute our share towards this massive infrastructure development initiative with the commissioning of the company's Asphalt pre mix production plant, he concluded with high expectations. |
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