Eagle Logistics to mark 10 years of excellence

Eagle Logistics will celebrate its 10th anniversary today with religious activities at their corporate office at No. 281, R.A. De Mel Mawatha, Colombo 3. 

Eagle Logistics’ roots date back to 2005. CEO Asanga Weerackody created Eagle Logistics’ name and, together with CL Synergy, helped back office operations. CL Synergy has been the co-partner of Eagle Logistics Colombo since its inception. CL Synergy is an 11-year-old freight company which has three more similar joint ventures in the industry. 

Weerackody’s freight forwarding career stretches all the way back to 1991 when he worked at Pership Clearing and Forwarding as a marketing executive. He was a salesman with a thorough knowledge of air freight export for many years before taking the challenge of heading Union Transport’s (UTI) Colombo operations which operated under the same group, Pership. 

In October 2005, after he had completed 14 years in the Sri Lankan freight forwarding industry (Pership, John Keells and HTL Logistics), he decided to create his own company named after the eagle since it is the strongest bird in the air. 

At the same time he decided to look at areas in which freight forwarders were not heavily involved. He saw that there was huge potential in the import industry as the country’s resource base was limited and most raw materials had to be imported.  It was the right start for a new company and Eagle managed to work with many top businesses during a very short period of time. 

The company also realised communication was the only competitive advantage in the business. As a result of this, in 2010 the company opened its first branch office in Katunayake, which would help it be close to its customers and improve communication. Unlike other companies, it was a different branch concept, in that it was fully equipped with sales, customer service and operations units. Within a very short period the concept became successful and the management decided to open branches in six other locations. 

While being active in the market, Eagle Logistics realised that being involved in supply chain management was important for a freight forwarder since logistics was part of same process. In 2011, Eagle Logistics became the first freight company to be a member of the Institute of Supply and Materials Management in Sri Lanka. 

During the past decade, the company has continued to follow a recruitment policy which is unlike that used by any other company. The company has never recruited people from the industry. The flow of young blood through its ranks is the main reason for the organisation’s success. All the members of Eagle Logistics’ top management started their careers at the company 10 years ago and the rest of the staff has followed suit. 

Today Eagle Logistics has a staff of over 120 who work at seven locations - Katunayake, Biyagama, Moratuwa, Homagama, Peliyagoda, Nugegoda and its corporate office in Colombo 3 - handling import-export business for more than 300 customers.