Geared for excellence – Samson International is poised to conquer the post-pandemic era

Q: Could you provide an overview of Samson International?
A: The sister company of the renowned DSI Samson group commenced its journey in 1988. With more than 33 years of experience in the manufacturing industry, the company presently operates three manufacturing facilities in Galle, Baddegama and Kalutara with a workforce of over 550 employees.

We believe that committing to delivering quality by focussing on sustainable practices will enable the company to establish a strong foothold in the marketplace.

The business has been held in high regard for its product quality since its inception, in my view. Samson International is positioned as the first rubber manufacturing company in Sri Lanka to obtain the ISO 9001 certification for quality management.

Ensuring that sustainable and ethical manufacturing practices are followed during production and delivery processes is our utmost priority.

Committing to the best manufacturing practices has earned the company several certifications – viz. ISO 14001 for environmental management systems, ISO 50001 for energy management systems and Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) for business social compliance.

Moreover, Samson International is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified to manufacture FSC certified rubber products.

Q: And could you shed some light on the diversity of the company’s product portfolio?
A: Samson International offers a distinctive product range compared to other manufacturers of rubber products in Sri Lanka.

Our portfolio comprises more than 500 products that span 10 sectors such as food processing, health and fitness, automotive, agriculture, construction, transportation and so on, for local and international markets.

We also undertake contract manufacturing for many global brands, and are recognised as a key supplier to supermarket chains and distributors around the globe – including Sänger, IKEA and Aldi.

The company is the proud creator of the coveted brands SIL, Decosil, DSI rubber parking accessories, Mayura Yoga Mats, Samson Agro, Rubber Ceylon and Samson Rubber. Additionally, PVC products are marketed under the Samson PVC & Jopex brand name.

Q: What strategies has the business deployed to withstand the pandemic and thrive?
A: We maintained a positive outlook throughout the challenging financial year despite a majority in the industry remaining disheartened due to many setbacks.

The company recorded its highest turnover and profit during the year. The turnaround of the PVC segment to a profitable stratgic business unit could be considered the most notable milestone achieved during this time.

Furthermore, substantial investments in expansion projects were made during the year.

Q: And what accolades has Samson International earned recently?
A: Samson International was the recipient of the Gold Award in the Rubber and Rubber Products Sector category for the sixth consecutive year and named the overall Best Performer in Research and Development (R&D) activities at the latest NCE Export Awards.

Moreover, the company’s annual report was recognised as the best in its category for the previous year.

Q: How does Samson International intend to approach the post-pandemic era?

A: The supply chain disruptions introduced by the pandemic have created many opportunities for the company to actively invest in entering new overseas markets to promote products to prospective customers.

Samson International also intends to invest in its rubber and PVC plants to expand the company’s production capacity to accommodate an envisioned growth in demand.

Furthermore, we have decided to invest in a solar electricity project. This will cover all our factory rooftops with solar panels – contributing 1,000 megawatts of electricity to the national grid – in an effort to reduce the company’s carbon footprint.

– Compiled by Randheer Mallawaarachchi
INTERVIEWEE DETAILS
Dilshan Rajapaksa
Joint Managing Director
COMPANY DETAILS
Telephone091 4933945
Email
info@dsi.lk
info@samsonint.com
Website:www.samsonint.com