‘Celebrating 40 years of excellence, JF & I Packaging reaches another milestone

In 1978 when Dr. Neville Fernando iconic entrepreneur founded JF & I Packaging Ltd., his dream was to see this enterprise emerge as Sri Lanka’s leader in printing and packaging.

25 years later in 2003 in a message to the Jubilee Souvenir he wrote, “A small step was taken in 1978 and today after 25 years JF & I Printers is one of the leading printers not only in Sri Lanka but also internationally.”

With this ominous beginning, the one and a half decades leading to the 40th anniversary have been a period of phenomenal growth with JF & I today on the threshold of global expansion.

Today JF & I Packaging Ltd. catering to world demands offering total printing solutions in offset, flexible, pre-printed corrugation, digital and plastic packaging is a multi-million dollar enterprise that has deservedly emerged as one of the largest and most diversified packaging companies in the South Asian Region.

The local production facilities situated in Koswatta, Aturugiriya and Panagoda that had progressed gradually from the early years of the Company saw tangible accelerated growth with new products particularly in flexible packaging and corrugated packaging, renewed expertise and imaginative technological inputs.

Sailing with this the Company’s innovative and pioneering move in 2017 to launch a state of the art production Centre in the fast developing suburb of Malabe dedicated solely to the demands of Sri Lanka’s flourishing apparel Industry has already proved to be a landmark decision.

This state of the art factory of mutual benefit to JF & I and the apparel industry was fittingly declared open in May 2017 by Lisa Dudzik Senior Manager Packaging and Trim PVH, New York one of the world’s leading apparel companies owning the prestigious brands Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger. Dudzik’s presence in Sri Lanka solely for this ceremonial commissioning of Malabe factory was indeed a signal honour deeply appreciated by the Chairman and Board of Directors of JF & I Packaging Ltd.ilfiger.  Hil

Whilst consolidating the stability and productivity of the established production centres, the burning desire flowing from the far sighted vision of Chairman Naomal Fernando to before long mark JF & I’s global footprint is being effectively fulfilled with production and marketing facilities already established in the UAE and Kenya with Bangladesh in the pipeline.

In the midst of all this progress it is noteworthy that JF & I has not lost sight of the need to keep pace with the new developments taking place on the operational side. A noteworthy feature in the production processes is the recognition given to lean principles and infra-structural developments particularly central warehousing of raw materials and finished goods.

The induction of emerging technological developments e.g. Heat transfer prints, Flexo continuous reels, rotary fabric printing together with innovative packaging in collaboration with the University of Moratuwa have provided added momentum to move forward with assurance. The Company’s commitment to R & D and the production of environmentally friendly bio-based packaging have also borne results in the form of paper based products such as paper based pouches and buckets. Seemingly insignificant though, they are indeed great steps in the packaging industry’s unceasing forward march. 

JF & I’s unwavering belief in the paramount requirement of keeping ahead of competitors in the field of Packaging by making discerning investments on ever changing, sophisticated machinery have led to mutually beneficial partnerships with world renowned industrial giants such as Heidelberg/Germany, Bobst/Switzerland, DCM/France, Scavi/Italy, Sumitomo/Japan, and Esko/Belgium.

It is in the backdrop of this long and eventful journey of uninterrupted success that JF & I with justifiable pride commemorated its 40th anniversary in the month of October 2018 under the theme, ‘40 years of Excellence’.

The dynamic and amiable Chairman and CEO Naomal Fernando, Co-Directors and the Senior Management Team comprising predominantly of professionally qualified and trained managers with hands on experience are firmly of the belief that the appropriate recognition and celebration of important milestones in the Company’s march of progress ; firstly by giving due recognition to the achievements of its employees that form the backbone of the organisation and secondly, by providing opportunities to the members of the management team to interact informally, in a spirit of camaraderie and fellowship with the Company’s business partners and well-wishers are paramount to the Company’s well-being and continued success.

The meticulously organised glittering evening of cocktails and dinner on 23 October at a leading Hotel in Colombo was indeed a fitting climax to the celebrations.

From the point of view of JF & I the crowning moments of this memorable evening were the most inspiring congratulatory speeches delivered with sublime eloquence by the Group Managing Director of Ceylon Biscuits Ltd. and the CEO of MAS Intimates, Shamalee Wickramasinghe and Suren Fernando respectively representing two of the most renowned and respected business organisations in Sri Lanka.

The Chairman and Board of Directors of JF & I Packaging Ltd. are sincerely thankful and most grateful to them for the wonderful cordially extended to them.

All in all the splendid spirit of goodwill that pervaded the commemoration events augers well for many more decades to come. The cementing of the bonds of mutual trust and sociability among all employees will undoubtedly help them to rededicate themselves to the noble ideals and work ethics of the founder of JF&I Dr. Neville Fernando.