‘All of Sri Lanka’ in new turnaround

Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen with Laksala DG/CEO Ali Ahlam Nawaz 

• State-owned arts & crafts market channel reports profits in 2016 against 2015 losses
• ‘High quality SME products are in demand’ - Bathiudeen
• Supplier remunerations surge by 33%
• ‘New management efforts, tighter supply chain reasons for 2016 profits’ - CEO Nawaz
• Laksala’s rural purchases also up by 9% 
• ‘Looking for strong Avurudu sales next’ - Bathiudeen

Sri Lanka’s leading national market facilitator for its historic arts and crafts has turned around with surging profits.

“Laksala’s return to profit shows that high-quality Sri Lankan SME creations have local and international demand,” said Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen on 30 March in Colombo. 

Minister Bathiudeen was responding to the latest Laksala financials reported to him by Laksala Director General/CEO Ali Ahlam Nawaz.

“Our efforts to bring Laksala to profit levels are successful,” said Minister Bathiudeen. “Laksala supports the local arts and crafts sector by directly purchasing from them. We are now able to show that supporting the local arts and crafts sector is worthwhile and it is more than handing out subsidiaries to them. They are showing results. We are looking for bigger sales during the Avurudu season,” he added.

According to CEO Nawaz, Laksala, which incurred a loss of Rs. 21 million, reported a net profit of Rs. 4 million in 2016. Supplier payments, Laksala’s main channel of direct support to the arts and crafts sector of the country, rose by a huge 33% in 2016 to Rs. 74 million from 2015’s Rs. 223 million. As a result of management initiatives on cost cutting and stringent supply chain management, Laksala also managed to reduce expenses by Rs. 30 million in 2016 in comparison to 2015. Laksala’s rural purchases in 2016 increased by 9% to Rs. 30 million in comparison to 2015.  

“Laksala clinched the Industrial Excellence Award for 2016, awarded by the Sri Lanka Chamber of Small and Medium Industries (SLCSMI). Laksala joined hands with other truly Sri Lankan brands. Under the guidance of Minister Bathiudeen, the launch of new Laksala showrooms in Kekirawa and Mirissa and also the establishment of a new purchasing center in the Northern Province are on the cards,” stated CEO Nawaz.

The only State-owned gift and souvenir market channel aligning with ‘All of Sri Lanka’ was established under the National Crafts Council and Allied Institutions Act of 1982 and functions under Minister Bathiudeen. Today Laksala operates 12 showrooms island-wide. The Colombo 7 (Racecourse Promenade) and Katubedda showrooms have now been transformed to offer a wider range of exclusive Sri Lankan handloom products for local and foreign visitors with competitive price points.