Curiosity and perseverance, the hallmarks of success - Rohan Pallewatte

A trust culture helps eliminate unnecessary processes in work places, Executive Chairman, Lanka Harness Company (Pvt) Ltd, Rohan Pallewatte told a corporate partner evening organised by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Sri Lanka recently.

Sharing his company's success story, Pallewatte said there is no need to install CCTV cameras or any other movement monitoring devices to keep a tab on employees if the head of an institution or those at the helm trust the staff. It is suspicion that creates the need for such devices which is an extra cost to the organisation.

He said that curiosity and perseverance are the hallmarks of his success that helped him to form an organisation which accounts for about seven percent of the global market share of impact sensors for air bags and seat belts. The company makes products for renowned global automobile companies such as Toyota, Nissan, BMW, Opel, Volvo, Ford and General Motors.

"It was on the 47th visit with samples to Japan that I secured sourcing for my products. It was not a smooth journey. My call for sourcing was turned down on every occasion. Yet I did not give up the battle until I convinced my buyers who are today spread across 12 countries," Pallewatte said. Harness exports to USA, Germany, Mexico, Malaysia, Poland, Japan and India.

Calling on corporate partners not to give up, Pallewatte cited an occasion when his products were rejected due to contamination. He used his camera phone to convince the buyer that water was poured on to his product by workers.

Today, Harness produces better than six sigma quality product at 1 part per million defect level. With a turnover of $ 34 million it is one of the highest per employee foreign exchange earner.

Only a single defect is tolerated per one million parts.

"When you come up with a new idea, people will first laugh at you and then might attack you but you will win," Pallewatte said quoting Mahatma Gandhi. He said do not seek too many views from others. If you are convinced of something go ahead and achieve your goals.

Over150 representatives from corporate partner companies were present.

CILT launched the corporate partnership program in October 2011 and today, they have 16 corporate partners from leading corporates and academic institutions involved in the logistics and transport industry.

The main objective of the corporate partnership program is to develop capabilities of logistic and transport professionals, provide networking opportunities and also to act as a sounding board for the industry and the Government, on issues related to logistics and the transport industry. 'Conquering global markets through Supply Chain Excellence' was the theme of the session.

Pallewatte stressed the importance of developing trust and transparency with employees to drive a seemingly impossible quality level through 'acculturation' - which is the introduction of a foreign culture to a local culture affecting a behavioural change in the local person, disproving the critics that Sri Lanka cannot produce high quality precision products to conquer the global market.