Sri Lanka has over supply of multi-purpose raw material to produce clay bricks which has a huge global demand, Managing Director, De Boer Damle (India) Pvt. Ltd, Anand Damle said
at the Sri Lanka Ceramics and Glass Council (SLCGC) AGM in Colombo last week.
He said Sri Lanka has over 50, 000 unutilized irrigation tanks which have excess clay. Due to clay and other materials these tanks are rendered redundant.
“Excavating clay from the tanks will firstly help to put back these tanks to irrigation purposes there by helping to review the rural Agro sector.”
 Indian brick manufacturing |
Secondly the extracted clay can be used to make bricks which will open out a new SME industry in Sri Lanka with a huge export potential to EU and Japan as these countries are looking at natural products like clay bricks. Similarly there is also demand for clay tiles from EU.
He said that in India there are around 7,000 brick manufactures who are now securing international orders. “Today a clay brick is fetching around 5 to 7 Euros in the international market which is a very good price.” He said that sophisticated machinery is not needed to produce these clay tiles and this too would an advantage for Sri Lankan entrepreneurs.
Noritake Lanka Porcelain (Pvt) Ltd, Chairman/Managing Director Hidenori Tanaka said that Sri Lanka also has other rare raw materials required for the manufacture of ceramic products, which has high demand in the global market.
“This should be exploited by the industry with niche products, enabling high yields.”
He said Sri Lankan ceramic products are in demand in Japan and Europe which Sri Lanka should make use of by manufacturing new products focusing on innovation. He however said that the fluctuating electricity supply and high energy costs is a concern for the industry. Staggering amounts is being spent each month on the import of raw material such as kaolin from Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand and UK too is a concern for them.
Tanaka said that their first overseas factory was set up in Sri Lanka with another in Philippines. “The company will continue to reinvest in Sri Lanka.
The industry imports around 100 tons of kaolin each month which is a huge cost to manufacturers who are already saddled with the high cost of production,” SLCGC President Anura Warnakulasooriya said.
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