Enriching Lives and Connecting the Nation: John Keells Logistics Commemorates National Logistics Day

JKLL Employees at Thudella CFS

Positioned as an integral part of Sri Lanka’s logistics sector, John Keells Logistics Private Limited, is proud to have helped shape the industry landscape since its inception in 2006. As one of the country’s leading third-party logistics companies, JKLL offers a comprehensive range of services from warehousing and supply chain consultancy to value-added services and inland transportation. Strengthened by the core values of Caring, Innovation, Integrity, Excellence, and Trust, which is passed down from its parent entity, John Keells Group, JKLL proudly celebrates the National Logistics Day of Sri Lanka 2023.

The National Logistics Day holds immense importance to all companies across the logistics sector in Sri Lanka. It serves to acknowledge the industry’s pivotal role in contributing to the growth and development of the nation, while also bringing into focus logistics professionals who work tirelessly to ensure efficient day to day operations that benefit both consumers and businesses. The National Logistics Day goes even further and acts as a platform that promotes the vast option of career opportunities available in supply chain management, transportation, and warehousing, paving the way for young professionals to be a part of fulfilling career. JKLL as a great place to work certified logistics company, strives continuously to create career opportunities in the logistics sector. Beyond this, it also fosters an environment of collaboration among industry stakeholders, leading to the exchange of valuable insights, best practices, and innovative ideas which contributes towards the overall growth of the industry and the nation as a result.

At the core of JKLL, beats a resounding purpose - “Enriching Lives and Connecting the Nation by Empowering Businesses.” This purpose extends far beyond being a mere statement; it’s a commitment to making a meaningful impact. The company envisions itself as a pivotal player within every conceivable supply chain across Sri Lanka, thereby enhancing lives across the industry, fueling the spirit of its team to go further in delivering their best to their customers; JKLL strives to go above and beyond the call of duty in serving its immediate customers and aspires to satisfy the end consumers and all other stakeholders, thereby contributing to a holistic enrichment of lives.

This National Logistics Day, Lasitha Manchanayke, Chief Executive Officer of John Keells Logistics spoke to us of the company’s commitment to helping strengthen the nation and improve the lives of its people. “While being a part of multiple industry supply chains and playing a crucial part in domestic and exports logistics in Sri Lanka, JKLL is proud of the significant and lasting impact it has made in its contribution to the development of the nation. The Container Freight Station (CFS) operation in Thudella for example manages a significant component of Sri Lanka’s apparel exports, a sizable contributor to the country’s foreign revenue stream. Our active involvement in inland transportation also plays a significant role in bolstering Sri Lanka’s GDP, through the seamless flow of goods, particularly in critical sectors such as food and beverages. By ensuring seamless operations and efficient processes across these and all of our other operations stands firm in its unwavering dedication to its purpose and contribution to both the economy and the lives of the people it serves.”

He went on to say “This dedication is further realised through the direct and indirect employment opportunities created from ongoing expansion projects, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion initiatives such as Women-centric Training, 100 days Equal Parental Leave, working to increase career opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, and sustainability and social responsibility initiatives of the company which impact many lives by ensuring equal opportunities for everyone and making decisions based on merit, from minimising the company’s carbon footprint to even creating employment opportunities. Both directly and indirectly, the company contributes significantly to the nation’s social fabric and reaffirms its commitment to responsible resource usage and environmental stewardship, further solidifying its role as a socially responsible corporate entity.” 

What sets JKLL apart is its strong customer-centric approach. The company places great emphasis on customisation, tailoring its services to align with individual customer expectations. By maintaining consistent communication across all levels, from operational teams to executive leadership, JKLL ensures that customer expectations are not only met but consistently exceeded. Through the use of established communication channels and by conducting regular review meetings, JKLL strives to understand their customers better, and by providing real-time visibility into the supply chain through detailed reports and intuitive dashboards, the company is able to provide its customers with complete transparency leading to long lasting relationships built on trust.

The ability to provide its customers with real-time visibility and access to advanced reports and dashboards is only realised due to the company’s relentless pursuit of innovation. In addition to enabling its customer through technology, JKLL further embraces technology to help achieve operational excellence. This has resulted in the investment of a cutting-edge Infor tier 01 Warehouse Management System (WMS) and Transportation Management System (TMS), both of which contribute to operational excellence giving JKLL access to data-driven decision-making, ensuring the optimal allocation of resources, time and expenses allowing the company to set new standards of excellence within the industry.

As JKLL looks to the future, it envisions a landscape dominated by technology. Leveraging the power of technology, the company aims to further empower businesses and the nation to reach greater heights, with the ultimate goal of helping Sri Lanka progress as a nation utilising advanced technology to extend its reach internationally. On this National Logistics Day, JKLL stands tall, celebrating its journey of enriching lives, connecting the nation, and empowering businesses with its sights set on the distant future, ready to achieve greater successes together with its customers, partners, the local communities that it serves and the nation as a whole. 

John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH), is the largest conglomerate listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange, operating with over 70 companies in 7 diverse industry sectors. With a history of over 150 years, John Keells Group provides employment to over 14,000 persons and has been ranked as Sri Lanka’s ‘Most Respected Entity’ for the last 18 Years by LMD magazine. John Keells Holdings PLC was ranked first for the third consecutive year in the ‘Transparency in Corporate Reporting Assessment’ by Transparency International Sri Lanka. Whilst being a full member of the World Economic Forum and a participant of the UN Global Compact, JKH drives its CSR vision of “Empowering the Nation for Tomorrow” through John Keells Foundation and through the social entrepreneurship initiative, ‘Plasticcycle’, which is a catalyst in significantly reducing plastic pollution in Sri Lanka.