Lankan engineer designs transportation for various trade uses
Upali Gunawardena, who advanced his knowledge in automobiles, transport and logistics as an automobile engineer and became a member of the Chartered Transport and Logistics Institute, is now running a new facility at Delatura, Ja-Ela overlooking the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway, manufacturing a variety of vehicles based on the 3-wheel concept.
A native of Agalawatte, Mr. Gunawardena floated his company ‘Upaliee Automec Assembles Lanka (Pvt) Ltd with an investment of Rs. 70 million.
The huge factory is scattered with a variety of vehicles – all three wheelers modified into vehicles that could be utilized for a different purpose under a “You name it I have it’ policy.
He has produced to be used for selling Kende (Kola Kende), bakery items, passenger transport, vegetable selling, garbage disposal and for any utility purpose Upaliee Automec has a three wheel vehicle
For these vehicles only the engine, the suspensions and the breaks are imported while all other parts and implements necessary to complete the manufacture of these vehicles are either manufactured at the Upaliee factory or purchased at the local market.
The various sizes of chassis are manufactured in the factory and Upalie Automec is authorised by the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to issue a chassis number with a special machine assigned for this job.
Mr. Gunawardena says there are vehicles for all purposes and focused on SMEs but selling them is not easy because these SMEs cannot afford them unless a state agency comes forward to grant loans to purchase these vehicles.
He told the Business Times at his factory/office at Delatura that when he presented his case to the then Chairman Bank of Ceylon, Dr. Gamini Wickramasinghe, the latter immediately sent out a circular to all the BOC branches to accommodate loans to SMEs to purchase these vehicles. But since Dr. Wickramasinghe’s departure from the BOC this facility is not operative.
After his education at Matugama Central College, he was selected to do a special engineering course on automobiles at the Moratuwa University. It was a four year course and he got in-plant training at Sri Lanka Cement Corporation and the Govt. owned British Ceylon Corporation.
After finishing his studies on automobile engineering he worked in several top local companies and for international agencies at senior level engineering level. For his engineering work he has won several accolades and in 2007 he was given an award for National Level Excellence in the Small Category conducted by the Ceylon National Chamber of Industries. He has also held the position of President, Association of Container Transporters of Sri Lanka.
Before venturing into the manufacture of automobiles he first studied the sustainable transport modes to focus on the development of SMEs in this country and for this purpose for three years he visited more than 17 western countries.
Since the departure of Dr. Wickramasinghe from the BOC, he found it difficult to convince the financial institution to resume the loan facility. He has also gone to every ministry and government department seeking support without success.
A dejected man, Mr. Gunawardena
THE VARIOUS SIZES OF CHASSIS ARE MANUFACTURED IN THE FACTORY AND UPALIE AUTOMEC IS AUTHORISED BY THE REGISTRAR OF MOTOR VEHICLES TO ISSUE A CHASSIS NUMBER WITH A SPECIAL MACHINE ASSIGNED FOR THIS JOB
said “Mamma kakul kedenakang hema amaathyansayakatama badageewa, namuth kisi wedak une nahe”. (I trudged to every ministry and department seeking help for this national venture, but it was in vain, nobody helped me).
He said that after the entry of the present government, he met the Minister of Finance, Divineguma and Minister of Industries but with no results.
He said that he had been carrying out his business with a fully stretched work force – factory manager, sales manager and staff but with the reduction in the business, though he did not retrench them, they are kept on a temporary basis.
While the business is not expanding the way it should be, there are sales and customers from far away areas such as the north and the east are purchasing these vehicles.
Given the necessary support he said that his products can compete with such imported products like the Dimo Batta and the Diageo Three Wheelers as his products are equally strong, durable and efficient.
He could be contacted on the telephone number 0777 365668 and his email address is upaliee@sltnet.lk