M&S to open Green factories in Lanka

Colombo: Marks & Spencer (M&S) has geared up to establishing its own benchmarks globally in through the new model green factories with Brandix and MAS in Sri Lanka set to be opened in Seeduwa.

These pioneer factories will act as a benchmark and set the standards for M&S’ manufacturing factories globally, M&S Paschal Little said at a media briefing held at its office in Colombo.

In this respect M&S has invested Rs.16 million for the project in Brandix Lanka which involves constructing the required sky lights; insulation of roofing and repainting white to reflect heat away; and a boiler and system upgrade.

Little noted that it was important that this sort of investment makes both commercial and environmental sense.

He said that by the summer of this year M&S will be in a position to identify products coming from eco friendly factories and market them accordingly.

Little also observed that, M&S is concentrating on the current projects and will “progress with all our initiatives whatever the economic situation.” In this respect they expressed satisfaction with the new model green factory established here.

The eco friendly factory of Brandix will be the first that is set to be officially opened today in Seeduwa and which will become the first in the line of manufacturing of garments from an environmentally unique setting.

This factory is set to be completed by June this year, according to Brandix Lanka Director A.J. Johnpillai.

He noted that the progress towards eco friendly setting had resulted in immense cost cutting as well since they achieved constant change in the last few months.

With a conversion cost of Rs.270 million and a market turnover of 48 billion pounds, Johnpillai noted that a (green revolution) is the future.
“We expect the margins to go up,” it was observed since energy costs in terms of electricity specifically had come down by 48% in the first month and then to 51% in the second month.

Moreover, 75% of all workers would be able to work in a natural light environment with a green view and in a world class setting amidst much transparency that is part of the green revolution that is set to take become reality once the Seeduwa factory is opened.

Similar benchmark projects have been established in other countries such as China in formal wear, UK in soft furnishings while M&S is currently talking to potential partners in Bangladesh on knit wear manufacturing.

The learnings from these projects will be used to share relevant points with others globally and provide the necessary guidance, it was pointed out.