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Introduced as a ‘family vehicle’ by David Pieris Motor Company Ltd. (DPMC), three-wheelers have given mobility and supported the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people in the island.
A common sight and an absolute necessity in our country’s transport system, little is known of the effort that goes into assembling them.
Shipped in knocked-down form, the bright coloured trishaws are assembled to the highest standards and quality at DPMC’s state-of-the-art assembly facility in Ranna. The 23-acre manufacturing complex is the largest in the country while the company’s Madapatha facilities complex, commissioned in 1996, assembles a wide range of fuel-efficient motorcycles for the Sri Lankan market.
Being the first automotive company in Sri Lanka to start conveyorised assembling 18 years ago, DPMC’s range of motorcycles and three-wheelers enjoy a reputation for higher performance and low cost maintenance. They are also the best-selling in the Sri Lankan market.
The speed and efficiency with which three-wheelers and motorcycles are assembled speak volumes of the technology in place and the processes adopted at DPMC.
Conveyorised process
Traditionally used to improve efficiency of manual or semi-automated assembly process, conveyors today are an essential element in mass production. At Ranna and Madapatha, partly assembled three-wheelers and motorcycles mechanically move along the conveyor belt and at each workstation, mechanics skilled in a specialist task assemble a specific component of the vehicle with the use of advanced pneumatic tools.
The conveyor system allows the quick and efficient transportation of bulky material, which ensures greater output within a short period. The use of advanced air-powered tools, though costlier, is efficient, accurate, safer and lighter to handle, making the entire assembly process hassle free and fatigueless for mechanics.
Using the ingenuity of local engineers, combined with continuous improvements to processes and best practices, DPMC has mastered the manufacture of three-wheelers and motorcycles to the highest quality and standards, taking Sri Lanka’s automobile industry to a new level.
“The conveyorised assembly line gives the distinct advantage of efficiency, flexibility and the ability to do online quality checking as opposed to offline quality checks. While we assemble components, our quality assurance team does quality checks and gives feedback to our line operators,” Kamal Meedeniya, Deputy General Manager, Assembly Operations said.
The eighteen workstations along the conveyorised line are manned by mechanics trained to handle specific tasks from fixing wheels, dashboards, handlebars to wheel alignment. Sudath Rohana, a senior supervisor at the Madapatha Facilities Complex with over 15 years experience, says having the right component at the right place at the right time is vital to maintain quality and efficiency.
“Continuous checking is vital in my job. Different models come in crates, so allocation of components needs to be done accordingly. For example, if the cover is fixed before the mudguard, the mechanic next in line cannot fix the seat. We maintain absolute precision at all times, and have earned the reputation of No 1 in the motorcycle and three-wheeler market,” he said.
Local expertise
With local engineering expertise from designing to installation and efficiency, DPMC has raised the benchmark of Sri Lanka’s automotive industry. “The installation of the conveyorised assembly belt was done entirely by local engineers and inventions such as the rotatable forklift and the aluminum scrap straightening machine were designed by our own mechanics,” Meedeniya said.
DPMC’s three-wheeler localisation programme, launched to promote innovation and entrepreneurship among rural communities, has resulted in the local manufacturing of some spare parts for three-wheelers at a higher quality. Under the localisation initiative, hood covers, hood bar frames, seats, mud flaps, tyres, tyre tubes, side mirrors and other ancillary rubber and plastic items are now sourced locally, generating employment opportunities across rural economies.
“DPMC has created the opportunity for Sri Lankan entrepreneurs to be innovative and manufacture high quality components for the automotive industry. We have given them the expertise and the market and we are proud of the progress seen. Some of them were youth employed in nearby garages but today they are skilled, fully fledged spare parts suppliers,” Prasad Hewagama, Operations Engineer, Ranna Manufacturing Complex said.
Safety and training
Nearly 500 highly skilled personnel with a passion for automobiles work in the two plants. With continuous training in technical skills at the company’s Internal Training Division and overseas, the workforce at DPMC is the most skilled in the island for automotive assembling. Training also includes safety mechanisms, the efficient use and maintenance of advanced pneumatic tools and managerial expertise like leadership and team-building skills.
Well-maintained recreational facilities in Ranna offer the staff an opportunity to socialise after work and play a game of cricket, basketball or table tennis. The facility also consists of a billiard table and a volleyball court.
Training and safety are of paramount importance. “We receive continuous training and our safety is well thought of at the plant. Throughout working hours, an ambulance and a doctor are on standby for any emergency. We feel that our company genuinely cares about our safety and well-being and the facilities they have given us for recreation are highly appreciated by fellow mechanics. All this gives us a sense of belonging to this company and we feel that we are also growing with the company,” Rohana said.
Sustainability, zero waste and community development
Once fully assembled, three-wheelers and motorcycles are taken for a thorough test ride and an emission test before they are released to the market.
The entire facility is demarcated to the 5S workplace organising method that manages the use of space for maximum efficiency and effectiveness, maintenance and sustainable operation to have the minimum impact on the environment.
The plant has its own rainwater harvesting installation, a zero waste policy and social responsibility programmes in the neighborhood. “As we are located in the dry zone, we don’t waste any water. Our own engineers installed a rainwater harvesting installation which recycles contaminated water for reuse and all our waste matter from packaging to rubber products and paint are disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. We go to the extent of checking how our buyers recycle them,” Lagath Jayarathna, Assistant Manager Operations of the Ranna Manufacturing Complex said.
DPMC continues to uplift rural economies by livelihood generation and contribute positively to raise the standard of Sri Lanka’s automotive industry with innovation and sustainable production that has earned it the ISO 9001:2008 for Quality Management Systems and ISO 14001:2004 certification for Environmental Management Systems.
“We didn’t build this facility with the hope of obtaining the ISO standards, but by the time we finished building, we realised that we had been ahead of time in innovation, quality, efficiency, safety and environmentally friendly processes. So, the facility automatically qualified for such standards,” Meedeniya said.
Since the installation of the DPMC manufacturing complex, Ranna in the deep South has seen a transformation. “When we first came to Ranna, the place was isolated. There were no shops or eateries. Now we can see a small town developing around the facility,” Jayarathna said.
DPMC, largely known as a vehicle importer, has ventured beyond three-wheelers and motorcycles to play a bigger role in taking technology, entrepreneurship and livelihood generation to rural areas. Its spirit of innovation, local ingenuity and environmentally friendly manufacturing have helped boost rural economies, a growth strategy DPMC envisages for the company and Sri Lanka’s economy.
