Biz Briefs

Biz delegation to Japan

A 25-member high profile business delegation led by the Sri Lanka-Japan Business Co-operation Committee of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, President Daya Weththasinghe were due to leave for Japan today to promote trade, investment and tourism.

The mission has been organised to coincide with the 18th Joint Committee Meeting of the Sri Lanka-Japan and Japan-Sri Lanka Business Co-operation Committees, due to be held in Tokyo on Tuesday.

The 18th Joint Committee will be followed by B2B meetings organised jointly by the Tokyo Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Embassy of Sri Lanka in Japan and the Japan External Trade Organisation.

Australia beats growth forecast

Australia's economy grew more than forecast in the first three months of the year, boosted by a rise in exports and domestic consumption.

Growth was 1.1% in the January-to-March period, from the previous quarter. Most analysts had forecast a growth of 0.9%. The annual growth rate was 3.5% - the highest in nearly two years. However, some analysts said the figures indicated that Australia's economy was still too heavily reliant on the mining sector - which has been a concern.

Mining accounted for around 80% of growth in the quarter, according to the figures by the Australian Bureau of Statistics..

- BBC

Abans launches wedding packages

Abans has introduced four Wedding Packages of bundle offers consisting of home appliances that are essential for every home.

Specially discounted prices of each item in the bundle offers make the Wedding Packages affordable for couples planning to marry. The couple stands a chance for a honeymoon in Singapore with two free return air tickets with accommodation for two nights and three days.

The four Wedding Packages are Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. The Bronze Package consists of 11 items. The Silver Package consists of 15 items. The Gold Package has 20 items. The Platinum Package also consists of 20 items.

Mobitel Cash Bonanza winners receive prizes

Mobitel distributed cash prizes worth Rs. 5 million to the lucky post-paid and pre-paid customers in the three-month draw of the Cash Bonanza 2014 grand draw series. Cash prizes were given to five pre-paid and three post-paid Mobitel customers at the monthly grand draw in April.

While over 1,000 Mobitel customers emerge winners through the daily Cash Bonanza draw, a total of 374,125 customers are expected to win cash prizes throughout the year. Eight customers would receive Rs. 500,000 through the monthly draw while two would emerge winners through the three-month grand draw receiving a cash prize worth Rs. 2.5 million.

Textured Jersey wins award

Brandix gears for growth

Brandix has enlisted the services of the USA headquartered, Centre for Creative Leadership (CCL), one of the world's top five providers of executive education, in a new initiative to underwrite its next phase of growth through Group-wide leadership training.

This leadership development program represents CCL's first assignment in Sri Lanka for a local company and is intended to develop leadership bench strength at Brandix and a strong, succession pipeline of leaders steeped in the Brandix culture, company sources said.

As part of the two-year program, more than 1,100 high-potential Brandix executives will undergo transformational training in leading self, teams and organisations, with the training modules appropriately distributed on the basis of areas of responsibility.

 Thakral One completes ERP system

ACL Cables has partnered with Thakral One to implement an ERP system based on Microsoft Dynamics NAV platform.

By using the ERP solution provided by Thakral One, ACL has now broadened its scope by connecting the manufacturing plants with warehouse operations in each subsidiary. The total solution enabled ACL to centrally do stock handling, update accounts, customer accounting, place sales orders, fiscal and monetary management, monitor the entire production process and also to connect with the sales automation system.

Mega Vaasi winners receive prizes

The Bank of Ceylon (BoC) Mega Vaasi raffle draw winners of the Eastern Province received their prizes at the BoC Kantale branch recently. A. F. Zimla, a customer of the Akkaraipattu branch in the Ampara district won the first prize, a luxury Micro Kyron Jeep. Eastern Province, Assistant General Manager K. P. Ananda Nadesan, AGM, Province Sales Management, M. J. P. Salgado, Operations Manager, Eastern Province, G. P. L. Amarasooriya, Ampara Area Manager J. G. Priyanda Kumara and Akkaraipattu Branch Manager M. A. M. A. Naseer were also present. Here the chief guest Deputy General Manager, Retail Banking, W. P. Russel Fonseka presents the vehicle keys to the father of the winner. Pic: I. L. M. Rizan, Addalaichenai Central cor