Lankan wood coating company JAT Holdings starts manufacturing in Bangladesh

JAT Holdings PLC, a wood coatings company of Sri Lanka, started local manufacturing in September to grab the market in Bangladesh.

The company set up a manufacturing facility at Birulia in Savar.

JAT first set foot in Bangladesh in 2003. Since then, the conglomerate has expanded to take the lead in the local market, a position it has held for more than 20 years.

The Lankan company has so far invested $1 million in Bangladesh and it started commercial production on September 22.

However, the manufacturing facility's official launch took place today.

JAT Holdings Group CEO/Executive Director Nishal Ferdinando, Director for Sales and Technical Wasantha Gunaratne, Country Head for Bangladesh Ranga Abeyakoon, and General Manager for Marketing Dilshan Rodrigo were among the members of JAT's senior management team who were present at the event.

At the launch, JAT Holdings Group CEO Nishal Ferdinando said: "Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have come together for the first time in history to manufacture world-class wood coating products."

"It is our company's first wholly-owned and independently-run manufacturing facility outside of Lanka. JAT's journey to being a major brand in South Asia officially begins with this," he said.

Ranga Abayakoon, country head for Bangladesh, said: "With the launch of a new manufacturing plant in Dhaka, Asia Coatings has immediately created over 100 new employment opportunities, marking a significant milestone in the company's mission to dominate the wood coating market in Bangladesh."