German companies focus on excellence

By Lalin Fernandopulle

German companies are focused on excellence and are not out to betray one another, said German Ambassador Dr. Jurgen Morhard at the National Business Excellence Awards (NBEA) of the National Chamber of Commerce (NCCSL) on Tuesday.

He said that Germany is a model of how to run an economy successfully. Specialisation, innovation, customer service and professional management are some of the hallmarks of Germany's success.“Germany is the powerhouse in Europe and it is second only to China in terms of industrial growth. It is focused on continuous improvement of process and management. Benchmarking is vital to improve performance and it is also a cause to celebrate outstanding performance,” Dr. Morhard said.

“During the past few decades the private sector in Sri Lanka has been the backbone of the economy and it will continue to be so. The Sri Lankan business community will have to make use of all the potential that the country has to offer and strive for opportunities outside the country if it is to succeed,” the Ambassador said.

Diesel and Motor Engineering PLC (DIMO), Chairman Ranjith Pandithage said that DIMO is not in the business of collecting trophies but takes part in award schemes to check whether the company walks the talk.“Long-term planning is the name of the game but sometimes there is a change in the business world when we wake up the next morning which is beyond our control. Despite all odds we strive to stick to our goal,” he said. DIMO was adjudged the Overall Gold winner of the 2011 National Business Excellence Awards. NBEA 2012 Steering Committee Chairman, Sunil Wijesinha said that there is a steady growth of applications for the NBEA each year.