Lanwa lays foundation for steel and roofing sheet factories

Lanwa Steel Magampura foundation laying

Lanwa Roofing foundation laying 

Sri Lanka’s forerunner in steel manufacturing and export, Ceylon Steel Corporation Limited (Lanwa), recently laid the foundation for two state-of-the-art production facilities for steel and roofing sheets, at the Lanwa Sanstha Industrial Precinct in the Mirijjawila Export Processing Zone. 

The aim of this project is to revitalise the local construction sector in the post-pandemic context by making essential raw materials readily available. 

The foundation stone for the new steel facility was laid by President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and other ministerial delegates in attendance. 
The steel factory embodies Sri Lankan ingenuity by using iron ore as the primary raw material for manufacture of billet, bars and rods, departing from the norm of using imported, costly steel billets. 

This backward integration is expected to save the local economy millions of dollars, which is the need of the hour.  
The facility is optimally sustainable as it adheres to local and global procedures and protocols pertaining to environmental safety. 

The total output of the facility, once commissioned, will be 600,000 MT of steel billet, rebars and wire rods per annum. This volume is expected to make Sri Lanka self-sufficient in the foreseeable future. The excess supply will be exported via the Hambantota International Port. 

Most of the raw materials are to be sourced locally to empower the local suppliers as well as to provide an affordable product to the market. Lanwa’s state-of-the-art infrastructure i.e., the 2.4km conveyor belt from the Hambantota port to the EPZ will be used to transport raw materials to and manufactured goods from the factory, ensuring optimum sustainability and minimum wastage. 

“The facility will generate over 1,500 jobs directly and about 3,000 jobs indirectly. This will take Sri Lankan ingenuity to the world as well as support the domestic industry by managing and mitigating shortages and unprecedented fluctuations that typically occur due to overdependence on imports. This venture is a win-win for everyone,” said Ceylon Steel Corporation Limited Chairman Nandana Lokuwithana. 

The group recently declared open a state-of-the-art cement manufacturing plant, Lanwa Sanstha Cement (Pvt.) Ltd, with an investment of over Rs.25 billion. The total capacity of the facility is 2.8 million MT of cement per annum. 

The foundation for the Lanwa roofing sheet facility was laid by Trade Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena, Energy Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Aviation and Export Zones Development State Minister D.V. Chanaka and Cooperative Services, Marketing Development and Consumer Protection State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna.

This facility will utilise cement from the sister company, newly-commissioned Lanwa Sanstha Cement Corporation (Pvt.) Ltd as the key ingredient to manufacture up to 400,000 MT of asbestos and non-asbestos roofing sheets and other allied products per annum. A highlight of this facility would be the ‘colour coating’ unit, which will incorporate cutting-edge technology, making it the first and only of its kind in Sri Lanka and the region. The cumulative investment for recent Lanwa projects amounts to over US $ 250 million.