Apparel giant Omega Line celebrates 25 years of excellence

From left: Omega Line former Director – HR and Admin Kapila Wanniarachchi, CEO/Managing Director Felix A. Fernando, Oniverse Group President Dr. Sandro Veronesi, Past Chairman Vincenzo Joppolo, and Head of International Production Riccardo Romani

Omega Line Ltd., Sri Lanka’s largest exporter of clothing items to the European market which produces and exports more than 90 million clothing items consisting of fashion garments such as bras, briefs, and beachwear, recently celebrated 25 years of excellence in contributing to the growth of the Sri Lankan economy. 

Founded in 1999 with its first and flagship apparel manufacturing facility in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka, Omega Line has grown to over 4,500 employees at Sandalankawa, and its Vavuniya factory, which is the largest investment in the Northern Province, has 2,900 employees. 

Omega Line is a wholly-owned investment of Oniverse (formerly Calzedonia) based in Verona, Italy, and the brainchild of Group President Dr. Sandro Veronesi. In addition, Omega Line and its sister companies employ over 15,000 employees across several factories and collaborate with several subcontractors to produce pyjamas, night-dresses, and T-shirts.

Omega Line’s portfolio of brands comprises renowned names, including Calzedonia, Intimissimi, Tezenis, and Falconeri, which speaks volumes about the outstanding success of Omega Line in contributing to the Sri Lankan economy since its inception. The Group has invested over $ 400 million in Sri Lanka and exported a combined total of over 200 million garments last year. 

“We are delighted to celebrate our 25th anniversary with notable milestones. Since our inception in 1999 as a single manufacturing facility with 30 employees, we have expanded to seven factories employing over 15,000 across affiliated factories and various production lines. This growth exemplifies our production capabilities and our dedication to expansion, diversification, and geographic reach,” stated Dr. Veronesi. 

“We came to invest in Sri Lanka at the height of the terrorist war, but we were able to come this far due to the hard work of immediate past Chairman and Managing Director Vincenzo Joppolo, Felix Fernando, Kapila Wanniarachchi, Bruna Carelle, and the Sri Lankan team. We are also expanding Benji Ltd. this year by adding another factory,” he added. 

“We attribute much of our success to our unwavering belief and commitment to employee engagement and happiness, which in turn enables us to realise our primary goal of delivering the highest quality products, on time and at the lowest cost. In 1999, Oniverse (formerly Calzedonia) had only around 300 retail outlets operating in very few European countries.

 However, due to the expansion of its supply chain, Oniverse now sells in over 55 countries with over 5,700 retail outlets. Sri Lanka produces over 75% of the garments Oniverse sells currently and is a testament to the trust Oniverse has placed in Sri Lankan operations,” stated Omega Line Ltd. CEO and Managing Director Felix A. Fernando, who is also the company’s first employee.

Sustainability is one of Omega Line’s key drivers in all its manufacturing operations. While aligning with global initiatives such as the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gases and limit global warming with its commitment to achieving renewable energy targets set by its parent company, Oniverse, Omega Line is targeting 2030 to fully transition to renewable energy sources, for which significant steps have already been taken by incorporating solar power into their operations. Furthermore, initiatives such as investing in low-power consumption machinery, transitioning to LED lighting, and recycling wastewater for gardening and toilets are prime examples of how Omega Line cares for the environment.

Omega Line was bestowed the ‘Best Corporate Citizen Award in 2023/24’ by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce recently for its outstanding contributions to economic development, empowering rural economies, providing employment opportunities, supporting small businesses, and engaging in charitable work. Moreover, Omega Line has been recognised as a Great Place to Work, ranking amongst the top 15 in the production and manufacturing sector. 

Over 90% of employees at Omega Line are females, which is a testament to Omega Line’s commitment to women empowerment.

The Board of Omega Line Ltd. consists of Felix A. Fernando, Dinal Peiris, J.M. Swaminathan, George Christopher, and Sudam Kiriella. Late Sri Nagendra was the first Chairman of Omega Line and played a key role in supporting Dr. Veronesi in establishing Omega Line in Sri Lanka.