US$ 27 mn auto plant in Kuliyapitiya kicks off operations

By Nuzla Rizkiya 
Sri Lanka’s automotive sector witnessed a new expansion this week with the launch of a new automobile assembly plant in the town of Kuliyapitiya, located in the Kurunegala District, North Western Province. 
President Ranil Wickremesinghe this week officially inaugurated the US$ 27 million facility named Western Automobile Assembly Private Limited (WAA), which had been a government project slated for commencement with approval since 2015. 
“The project, which was scheduled to be launched in 2019, was delayed due to Covid and the economic crisis. Although the project was intended to be completed within two years, it took a decade. Operations have finally commenced at the factory, which has the capacity to produce 50,000 vehicles annually,” Wickremesinghe stated during the inauguration ceremony.   

The state-of-the-art facility will soon roll out its first assembled vehicle, a 15-seater passenger van scheduled to hit the market by the end of the month, according to the President’s Media Division. 
The government had expedited the establishment of the plant in a bid to create both direct and indirect employment opportunities for local youth. 
In addition to vehicle assembly, the plant operates a vocational training institute that provides young entrants with skills and qualifications in line with international industry standards, to help them secure overseas job opportunities.