By Ruvini Jayasinghe
Charitha Kandage received his School education at D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo and worked in the corporate sector for over 10 years after completing his degree in Australia and subsequently his MBA in Project Management from Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK and currently reading his Doctorate in Business Administration. The last position he held before he entered the family business was as Senior Manager Strategic Planning of Dhamani LLC, Dubai. He now holds several management portfolios and designations; Director Administration and Corporate Planning, PTI Group of Companies and Managing Director/ CEO, Sehas Industries, Ola Bottled Drinking Water, Safeway Marketing and AroNext.
Charitha Kandage’s story is unusual and plausible only when you realize that true entrepreneurship is both inherent and nurtured in an academic environment. Why else would a Director of one of Sri Lanka’s largest textile manufacturers, on a rapid expansion mode try his hand out at bottling water for industrial distribution in the domestic market?
He was sucked into the family’s booming textile business and groomed to lead from his father in law, The Chairman of the successful textile giant, the PTI Textile Group. Mr. Sumathipala Hettiarchchi, who began business at the very bottom of the ladder, is today one of the largest suppliers of fabric to the armed services and the state’s supply of free school uniform material for students. Although still pretty much handling the reigns of the business, the seasoned industrialist persuaded his son-in law Charitha, who was working in the corporate sector for more than 10 years, to join him in his textile business as his Director Administration and Corporate Planning.
The business has remained mainly a B2G (Business to Government) over the years. But Mr. Hettiarchchi’s zest for business , and his deep sense of social commitment, blend with Mr.Charitha Kandage’s strategic thinking resulted in the company’s diversification and expansion in to retail business with three huge mega shopping malls for textiles and household items coming up in Piliyandala, Kesbewa and Galle.
The PTI Group’s manufacturing facilities are in Madapatha, Nampamunuwa and Kaluthara which is well rich in state of art modern waving and knitting plants, Dye Houses , Sizing and Finishing Plants, Sewing facilities and Fabric Printing plants in more than 400,000 sq.ft buildings over 500 employees. While yarn is imported, both woven and knitted fabric are produced in their state-of-the-art factories which are fully integrated with finishing plants and dyeing houses. Nation’s first Fukuhara, Double jersey jacquard mattress ticking circular knitting machines is now in PTI Madapatha which is yet to be added to the production line.
Bold and Novel Move
PTI Textile Group’s initial venture into shopping malls is in its main factory premises in a 20,000 Sq.Ft shopping complex adjoining the factory. The second one which is a seven storey shopping complex is coming up in Kesbewa. To be completed in 2020, it is billed to be the Group’s flagship store having more than 90,000 Sq.Ft. Meanwhile, yet another 30,000-Sq.Ft shopping complex is being opened in Galle with a mega shopping experience.
The bold and novel move has been a huge success as shoppers tread those extra miles to come out of the city center to purchase their range of household fabrics like curtaining, upholstery, bed linen and saris etc. at very competitive prices.
The goods come directly from the factory to the mall. There are no additional costs or inbetween traders in getting products directly to the customers, who have the special privilege of purchasing at rock bottom prices. “Although I was not convinced about our Chairman’s concept of setting up shopping malls and moreover having them in our factory premises, I am experiencing the phenomenal success of his most recent outbreak of entrepreneurship for myself,” says Charitha Kandage.
As the head of Corporate Planning, his knowledge and business insights into shoppers’ behavior may not have convinced him of the project, but now Charitha is spearheading the building and setting up of their mall in Galle with the conviction that it will be another success for the PTI group.
This is also an opportunity to introduce the PTI brand to retail market. PTI is going to be most trusted consumer retail brand since we promised far more than the value for money for our customers in terms of quality, quantity and the price. Now it is just that consumers do not know about our brand and how to purchase our products. Once we come into the retail market because of our price advantage and our consistently good quality we will be able to build our brand, PTI in the domestic market he says.
Inner voice
While Charitha immersed himself in the progress of the family business an inner voice or conscience nagged him continuously. His urge to strike out on his own was incubating even during his MBA days at ICBT. It was a mission, an ambition that grew into a solid decision to set up his own business. “Entrepreneurship cannot be held down for long. I guess taking risks and innovation was in my blood and ICBT helped me to get into business,” says Charitha. “This country needs more entrepreneurs” he says.
His dreams and ambitions achieved, today Charitha is the MD/CEO of Ola Bottled Drinking Water, a 100% per cent green energy water bottling plant, manufacturing 19 Liters water containers for industrial and domestic use. The SLS certified plant, on a twoacre land has a capacity of more than sixty thousand liters a working shift.
“I now manage the plant on a project base Management Style. I have appointed managers to complete specified projects and I oversee them. So, my involvement in the plant’s day to day operations is not 100% per cent. This has given me the time and energy to steer PTI Group into its next phases of development and also to plan and execute the next phase of Businesses in M-Commerce and E-Commerce activities.”
All on my own
I set up the plant on my own, without much blessings from my family. Although they supported me, they were not really convinced until I showed results.
I was on my own, from financing the capital for the business, to setting it up and ensuring its green policy of manufacturing and distributing and it was the confidence and the knowledge I gained from my MBA at ICBT that assisted me and guided me through my initial business venture.
I did not depend on my family’s business to finance my project and neither do they help me with setting up business in any other way, he added.
Now that I have been through the first phase of setting up my own industry, I have gained confidence to forge ahead. Above all else I am happy that I followed my instinct and ambition to set up my own business.
The itch to strike out on your own is an experience any entrepreneur would recognize and a call that he would answer and take the risk to go after his dreams; but the knowledge, planning and courage to do so comes with acquiring proper management skills in an international academic institution.
“The exposure I received at ICBT was invaluable in my business. My colleagues were from the corporate world from all areas of industry and business. There were bankers, industrialist like me, executives and top managers from blue chip companies etc. and we all worked together discussing ideas, our goals and ambitions in life and also about business, either forming our own companies or climbing the corporate ladder. There were about 100 students in the class and our shared experiences enriched my knowledge and helped me to go beyond my tailor-made path…”