Milcris enters local construction biz with consultancy solutions

Saturday, 21 September 2013 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Selected as the cost consultant for ICBT’s upcoming Rs. 600 m Campus
To compete with international construction consultants in Sri Lanka
With presence in Oman since 2007, plans to open branches in Qatar and UAE

By Shabiya Ali Ahlam Milcris Ltd., which has supported several of major projects in Oman with construction management consultancy services, is making an aggressive foray into the Sri Lankan market. Recently the company has won the contract to provide cost consultancy services to the proposed Rs. 600 million Campus of the International College of Business Technology (ICBT) at Duplication Road. Milcris said it will now compete with international construction consulting entities that are hired to assist projects in Sri Lanka. The company currently renders its services such as project management, cost consultancy and quantity surveying, contract and claim management, to the construction industry in Oman where it started its operation in 2007. To date, Milcris has worked on over 40 projects in Oman and has plans to open branches in the UAE and Qatar by the end of 2013. Chairman of Milcris is Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said, a member of the ruling family in the Sultanate of Oman and Chairman of the Seven Seas Company LLC. Millan De Silva is the Chief Executive Officer.

Milcris is a Chartered Quantity Surveying practice and an ISO 9001:2008 certified organisation. It is also regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, UK. It employs over 120 technically and professionally qualified staff comprising of Europeans, Asians and Omani’s. Addressing the media in Colombo earlier this week, De Silva said the expanding operations of the construction consultancy locally will in no way disturb the business of the existing market. “There are many local cost consultants in the country and our expansion will not disturb what they have. We are looking forward to major projects where the international consultants are hired,” De Silva said. He emphasised that the company is not targeting small projects and does not consider the local consultants as its competitors since it competes only with international companies. Pointing out that in Sri Lanka consultancy services for major commercial projects are provided by companies based in Europe, China, and Australia, De Silva said by extending operations to the nation Milcris is trying to encourage the business market to turn to local entities instead of reaching out to foreign companies. “By expanding our operations to the country we are trying to emphasise to the business market and the authorities that it is time to go for local consultants. With companies such as Milcris, Sri Lanka does have consultants with the right attitude, qualification, and professional exposure to handle any complex project,” expressed De Silva in confidence. Speaking on the quality of service offered by Milcris to its clients, De Silva said: “We like to be where the growth is and to connect with our clients and assisting them to reach their aspirations. The company strives to enable projects to be completed within budget and on time without compromising quality.” “Our projects are undertaken by competitively differentiating ourselves in the industry through essential drivers by addressing both, the long-term and immediate goals we must achieve for our clients as well as for our own growth and success. Experience is the resource that keeps us flexible and adaptable and it is through the dynamism of change that we will achieve growth,” he added.