By Ifham Nizam

M. A. M. Abdul Cader & Co (Pte) Ltd., successors to M. A. M. Abdul Cader and Company was established in 1913 by the father of late Al-Haj M. S. A. Razack. This Company is currently managed by the third generation, under the Chairman Managing Directorship of M. Ashroff Razack.

Mr. M Ashroff Razack, Chairman/Managing Director of M A M Abdul Carder & Co. (Pte) Ltd is seen receiving the Bronze Award in the Industry Sector - Medium Category from Mr. Lal Nanayakkara, Chairman of People’s Bank (Principal Sponsor).

With humble beginnings, the Company has made rapid strides in the leather industry, starting from raw hides and skins, from selected procurement centres in Sri Lanka.

M. A. M. Abdul Cader and Co. (Pte) Ltd; Leather Fashions (Pte) Ltd. Chairman/Managing Director M. Ashroff Razack in a brief interview with The Island said that his company believes that customer satisfaction is the key to growth and has always been making sincere efforts in maintaining close rapport with their valued customers.

The Company has had a major leap from finished leather to leather products and has been the pioneers in the leather garment sector. It was only natural for the Company to soon produce quality fashionable leather for the product sector such as for shoes, handbags, travel goods, upholstery, belts, leather accessories, wallets and furniture. For which a subsidy company under the name of Leather Fashions (Pte) Ltd. was duly incorporated in August 1991.

Razack said that with a keen eye for quality and development, considerable investment was poured into make the production facilities modern, dynamic and upto date.

He also said that foreign technology and expertise were freely and regularly introduced in keeping with current trends.

Today more than skilled and semiskilled workers are under the direct employment of the company for many years, and recipes for processing into different types of leathers, are a guarded secret, known only to trusted Managers and the Management. Some of who have completed more than 25 years of loyal service to the Management of the Company.

All these factors combined with an absolutely impeccable commercial reputation has enabled the Company to maintain a string of thoroughly satisfied customers both in the local and foreign markets and also helped in increasing the number of International avenues for its products.

In order to keep abreast of the latest changes and trends in the fast moving fashion world, this Company maintains a complete brief of the prevailing styles in the International Market where leather garments and finished leather are concerned.

All these factors combined with an absolutely impeccable commercial reputation has enabled the Company to maintain a string of thoroughly satisfied customers both in the local and foreign markets and also helped in increasing the number of International avenues for its products.

Razack also said that under the relocation programme, all tanneries in Sri Lanka are being relocated at a site 215 km from Colombo, in the southern part of the country, at Bata Atha Industrial Park. This is the first time in the history of the Sri Lanka where a particular Industry has jointly agreed to relocate in one area.

He added that this exercise is costing approximately Rs. 500 million covering the infrastructure development on this Industrial Park, including the Central Environmental Treatment Plant [CEPT] which is funded by the Norwegian government as an outright grant on a government to government basis. This relocation programme commenced in 1990, well over a decade ago.

Razack thanked the Ministry of Industries and the government of Norway for embarking for staging this project for the tanning and leather industry which is a trust sector where the value addition on this project is up to 400% and highly labour inducing. "We are also thankful to the Export Development Board, the Central Environmental Authority and all the Government Agencies who have been involved in this macro project which is of national importance, since out of all polluting industries, the leather and tanning industry is the first to agree to a relocation. Under stage one, the infrastructure development is almost complete and anyone visiting this Industrial Park, feels they are in a well developed country."

Production is expected to start by March 2003 when the [CETP] will be completed. Taking into consideration the entire investment put into this relocation, our Company’s investment is in the region of around Rs. 125 million with state of the art technology on a 44,000 sq./ft of land on a 2 1/2 acre Industrial Park.

He added: "We hope to start with the production of 250,000 sq./ft of high quality leather in the first year and by the end of the second year, complete a production of half a million sq. ft.

The Company is proud of its achievements of having to compete with our neighbouring giants in this field like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Taiwan and mostly China. We compete with confidence with all these countries including China and Taiwan.

He also said that presently they have orders. Lined up till August 2003 and their main customers are from UK and the European Union.

M. A. M. Abdul Cader & Co (Pte) Ltd., is a family concern in the business of processing bovine and ovine, hides and skins in a fully developed Tannery with mixture of modern technology and traditional tanning methods which are still demanded by European Buyers.

The Founder built a formidable reputation for quality and reliability in semi-processed leather. The transition from semi-finished leather to finished leather took place after the liberalisation of the leather policy of the Government in 1987.

M. A. M. Abdul Cader & Co (Pte) Ltd., was duly incorporated in August 1988 under the company Act no: 17 of 1982. Thus breaking the tradition of seven decades of Proprietorship. Also maintains a history of over eight decades of continuous exports to Europe.