Richard bags Gold Star Quality Award

Richard Trading Company, a leading manufacturer and exporter of school exercise books and stationery has secured the International Gold Star Quality Award 2009 for printing and printing related industries at the International Star Quality Convention held in Geneva on October 26. Managing Director of the Company Richard Jayatissa said that this achievement will be a great strength to expand its export market. Today the Company exports its products to 18 countries in Europe and North America.

We are in a strong position in these markets and competing on many countries. We compete with quality and the award proves that our products are superior quality, he said.

He said that quality products can compete with cheaper exports from countries such as China and India. hey offer similar products at a lower price but buyers in the EU still demand our products manufactured in Sri Lanka and the demand is growing. We will start our base in UK and recently we entered into the Russian market as well, Jayatissa said. Richard Trading is the sole licence holder for Walt Disney logo and the company is also a leading supplier of stationery for the domestic market. Jayatissa said that his company holds around 40% of the local market share. Richard Trading is based in Kurunegala and Jayatissa said that over 500 employees are working in the two factories. The Company has a production capacity of 70,000 books per day.

Recently, we started manufacturing ballpoint pens for the local market at very attractive and affordable price. The export products are of a higher quality and expensive and are not sold in the local market. We import paper and other raw material from India and Indonesia, he said.He said, that the export industries need government assistance and the government should recognize the role of the private sector in the economy. Government has positively responded. After the Printers Association requested a import duty reduction for paper, the government granted it. Earlier we paid 15% tax on paper imports. This duty concession helps us to compete in the international market, he said.