20 June 2017 12:00 am Views - 2848
Insee Cement’s Ruhunu Cement Plant in Galle celebrates 50 years of enriching the construction sector in Sri Lanka.
The plant dates back to the time when Galle’s well known legislator, the Late Dr. Wijayananda Dahanayake, saw his dream to have a large scale manufacturing plant set up in Galle. At its inception, the Ruhunu Cement Plant distributed cement only to State-owned enterprises.
The Ruhunu Plant was set up under the Factories Act of Parliament in 1954. Back then, clinker was brought to the plant in smaller quantities by train and the Ruhunu Cement Plant was the sole manufacturing plant in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. Today, it is owned by Insee Cement, also known as, Siam City Cement (Lanka) Limited.
Plant Manager Pradeep Dissanayake elaborated, “We at Ruhunu Cement Plant are proud to be a part of the Insee cement family. Weare the manufacturers of our premium brands ‘Sanstha’ and ‘Mahaweli Marine’that have the highest market share and largest customer-base in the cement industry in the Southern Province”.
Insee Cement strongly believes in developing the potential of its people to the maximum and this is evident by what the employees of Ruhunu Cement Plant had to say.
Production Manager Pradeep Nirosha said “When I joined Ruhunu Cement Plant, it was my first job and it has helped me to harness my skills in advanced systems and processes and given me the appropriate exposure that I needed to enhance my career.” Apart from developing people, Ruhunu Cement Plant has become an inspiration for people in the south who take pride in the facility that boosts the country’s economy.
Ruhunu Cement Plant artisan L. M. Ranjith said “I am lucky to be employed at the Plant. The job satisfaction is very high as the organization utilizes individuals’ idea generation and always encourages innovation. The company is sensitive to the needs of employees and provides attractive facilities uplifting life standards.”
Ruhunu Cement Plant Superintendent Nalin Senaka believes that concepts introduced at Ruhunu cement plant such as driving innovation, enhanced employee benefits, technological improvements and a greater focus on improving systems, have helped the company reach higher goals. He is of the opinion that working with cement under safe conditions does not cause any harmful effects for the workers who are engaged with it one to one. While being thankful to the Management for giving priority to worker safety and wellbeing, he believes that Ruhunu Cement Plant has played a major role in harnessing the economy of Galle in the Southern Province.
K. R. Piyasena De Silva started working at the Ruhunu cement plant in 1971. Currently retired, De Silva remembers the factory coming up as a schoolboy. “I have been able to learn a lot in here, having served under many efficient managers; I consider it an experience of a lifetime.”
The Ruhunu Cement Plant and all of the employees who have served for a long time have formed long lasting relationships within the company, he reiterates.