31 January 2022 09:30 am Views - 210
Autogroup International (AGI), a 100 percent Australian-owned company specialising in left-to-right hand drive conversion of American vehicles, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in Sri Lanka.
To mark this milestone, AGI has outlined plans to hire over 60 team members to boost its manufacturing capability, potentially invest US millions in expanding its production capacity in Sri Lanka and excitingly unveiled the ‘Peter Hill Scholarship Programme’ for its team with an endowment of Rs.2,000,000.
With a large facility in Melbourne (Australia) along with its state-of-the-art facility in Sri Lanka, AGI has unparalleled automotive engineering experience and has become the global leader in the left-to-right hand conversion of muscle cars, pickup trucks, luxury SUVs and special purposes vehicles for almost all types of American vehicles. AGI provides a turnkey operation for both retail and wholesale (dealer) clients in 50 plus right-hand drive countries, either purchasing a vehicle on behalf of a client or converting a client’s existing vehicle while arranging shipping and insurance to most ports in the world.
The company specialises in the conversion of models such as Chevrolet Camaro and Silverado, Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, Ford F150, F250 and F350, Ford Bronco, Dodge RAM and Challenger, GMC Yukon, Denali and Sierra, Hummer H2 and H3 and Japanese North American models such as Toyota Tundra.
Sharing his views on the company’s latest milestone, Autogroup International Founder and Co-Chairman Peter Hill stated, “Over the past 20 years we have built a successful BOI business in Sri Lanka from humble beginnings to a growing operation with over 180 team members. We have endured many challenges during this time but one thing that has been a constant is our world-class Sri Lankan team.”
AGI owns and operates a well-established overseas manufacturing facility in Sri Lanka and enjoys Board of Investment (BOI) status by the Government of Sri Lanka as a duty free, bonded facility for value addition. The state-of-the-art facility in Kaduwela is strategically located close to Bandaranaike International Airport and Colombo Port, offering convenient logistics to all its customers. AGI is ISO 9001 2015 certified and Australian Design Rules (ADR) compliant for Conformity of Production (COP). The facility operates hi-tech equipment and is staffed by a team of experts in welding, pattern-making, fibreglass and plastics, upholstery, sheet metal, welding, auto electrical, motor mechanics and consists of a robust Engineering and R&D team with graduates from leading local and foreign universities.
Expressing his thoughts, Autogroup International Executive Co-Chairman Rob Hill stated, “Having recently taken over from my father, I am excited about our future in Sri Lanka from the immediate hiring of 60 new team members to help with growth to our plans to potentially invest multi-millions of US dollars on expanding our facility.”
Over the course of its 20 years in Sri Lanka, AGI has provided employment to hundreds of talented, high skilled team members. During the pandemic, the company provided its fullest support to ensure the safety and well-being of the team. AGI’s steady growth has meant that the company has become an important contributor of US dollars to Sri Lanka’s economy. The company also plans to potentially millions of US dollars on a larger facility that will help boost its manufacturing output in the future and further develop the skilled workforce in Sri Lanka.