“It is indeed a momentous occasion, for me personally, and as chairman of Onyx Group and LANWA Group, to have commissioned LANWA Cement.

Its significance is more so because the investment for this ultra-modern grinding and mixing cement plant became a reality only after overcoming some of the toughest challenges and during the worst economic crisis the country has ever faced.

Despite it all, it gives me great joy, for with its completion, I have fulfilled a personal commitment as an entrepreneur I had for my country of birth. That is establishing three production companies of world standing so that the country would fast-forward economically, socially, and industrially.

Having sojourned in the Arab Emirates as a successful entrepreneur, my first undertaking in Sri Lanka was the acquisition of the heritage brand LANWA, the foremost name in construction steel in Sri Lanka.

Not long after, the famed Italian tyre marquis, Marangoni, was acquired and rebranded as Ferentino with the full gamut of tyres– Passenger car radials, Truck and Bus Tires to Two- and Three-wheel tires as well as industrial tyres – for the global as well as the domestic market.

And now, LANWA Cement. It is equipped with all the wherewithal needed to propel the cement manufacture and the construction industry to where it rightly belongs –into the future!”

“I am truly honored to partner with the Chairman Mr. Nandana Lokuwithana’s vision of boosting the infrastructure development of the nation, and proud that the Group was able to usher in Lanwa Sanstha Cement Corporation (Pvt) Limited as a key player in the manufacture and supply of high-quality cement to the construction industry of Sri Lanka.

I am also happy to announce to all our customers and dealers island-wide that with LANWA we have redoubled our mutual trust and partnership and also made history, for LANWA now stands as the first and only manufacturer of both quality steel rebars and quality cement, in Sri Lanka.

I have the utmost confidence that the brand LANWA Sanstha Cement will win the trust of all its consumers for its high-quality raw materials, highest standards of manufacture, and competitive pricing, just like our very own ‘LANWA Sanstha Wane’ - the pioneer and leading brand of reinforcement steel in Sri Lanka for over sixty years.

That is why, from the very beginning, we were emphatic about commissioning a first-of-its-kind facility with the latest European technology in our mixing plants, so that we create a product that is the best on the market.

We were also focused on creating a sustainable manufacturing process and environmentally friendly, unlike any other seen before in Sri Lanka. A 2.4 km fully enclosed conveyor from port to plant, together with a fully automated Stacker Reclaimer Yard, also fully enclosed, ensures that the entire plant environment of 63 acres is dust-free. That is a first in Sri Lanka!”