Kalhari Group wins top plastics and rubber prize in SME awards

The Kalhari Group was placed first in the Rubber and Plastic Based Products category in the recent competition SMIDEX 2014 held to endorse successful Small and Medium Scale Enterprises and the Self-Employed in the Industrial Sector.

In a media statement, Kalhari, a pioneering Sri Lankan company which has come forward to ensure the safe and environment-friendly waste disposal, said it is expanding its operations countrywide.

"This is a significant recognition for Kalhari," said Kaushal Rajapaksa, CEO of the company. "It is recognition of our expertise in the plastics and rubber recycling industry and our commitment to accepted standards of quality," he added. "We have won several awards over the past years. This is our second award this year; the first was the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Award. It gives me immense satisfaction that my team has supported me in making quality a cornerstone in every sphere of our operations."

The company which had humble beginnings in 2003 with the recycling of PET bottles has since ventured out to several related fields. Mr. Rajapaksa said, "Following up on SMIDEX 2014, we are in discussions with two corporate entities to expand our ewaste ecycling programme."

Kalhari also produces shoe-uppers for both the local and export markets. Mr. Rajapaksa said, "Some of the world's best known brands use shoe-uppers produced by us. We had some very positive inquiries to expand our footwear upper- stitching operations to include safety shoes and leather security boots, and we are in discussions to identify the right partner for this project."

The company has its offices and most manufacturing facilities in the rural village of Heiyantuduwa, outside suburban Colombo. "Our aim at Kalhari is to totally satisfy our customers by providing goods and services to exacting standards, and to empower rural Sri Lanka by protecting the environment and providing as many people as possible with a livelihood," he added.