so that the apparel sector remains competitive despite severe competition from rival manufacturing markets.

Adopting a strong focus on products such as intimate wear, lingerie and underwear, Sri Lanka now holds the fifth position in the EUs imports for these apparel categories.

Achievements
Since the groups inception, it has aspired to pre-empt emerging trends in apparel and equip itself to meet those demands. Not willing to operate at a basic manufacturing level, it infused professionalism into the group, ensuring that it matched benchmarked global apparel organisations. Brandix is firmly rooted in Sri Lanka and is committed to investing in the future of the countrys apparel industry whilst leveraging on its expertise and experience to position Sri Lanka as a regional apparel hub. By contributing substantially to the national economy and the industry, Brandix considers this national commitment to be its greatest achievement. Today, over 50% of the groups value additions are localised, which is significantly in excess of the established norm. Brandix was presented the Presidential Award in recognition of its contribution to the national economy as the Highest Net Foreign-Exchange Earner in 2005 and the Outstanding Exporter of the Year award in the Apparel Category in 2005. In 2007, the Export Development Board of Sri Lanka identified Brandix as Sri Lankas largest apparel exporter. It won the coveted Most Outstanding Exporter of the Year award at the National Awards for Export Excellence in 2003, in addition to winning the Gold Award in the

Market
In preparation for the phasing out of the Multi Fibre Agreement (MFA) post-2005, profound changes were transforming the global apparel industry with significant shifts in sourcing locations, contraction of markets, quicker trend changes and a global shift towards single-source design to delivery that offered total solutions. The apparel industry in Sri Lanka, which contributes 46% of the countrys total exports and accounts for 67% of its industrial production, needed to urgently rethink its scope taking into account these emerging realities. Brandix was one such apparel group that showed the way forward, despite the uncertainties of the business of apparel manufacturing in the new, unfamiliar quota-less regime. The market was proving to be challenging with an extensive oversupply of apparel and textiles around the world. Adopting an unorthodox strategy, Brandix consolidated its customer base in the wake of the elimination of the MFA. Where other manufacturers were broad-basing their client portfolio, Brandix adopted a narrow and deep approach, and implemented a converse strategy, focusing on its main customers. Providing a holistic model devised to integrate every aspect of fashion, from developing the design concept to transforming that design into a final branded product for the fashion store, has seen Brandix adopt a strategy of innovation-to-execution. If any company lives its vision to be the inspired solution to branded clothing, it is Brandix. Today, it is the preferred solutions provider to some of the worlds best apparelretail brands including GAP, Marks & Spencer, Victorias Secret, Next and Abercrombie & Fitch. Brandix comprises 25 fully integrated manufacturing facilities backed by strategically located international sourcing offices. Brandix has gained the distinction of being the countrys largest apparel exporter, with an annual turnover that exceeds US$ 320 million. The company provides employment for over 22,000 associates and generates indirect employment for an equal number. Brandix also provides over 50% of value addition locally through backward-linked operations in textiles, thread, buttons and hangers. Companies such as Brandix have provided the much-needed visionary direction for the countrys apparel industry and strengthened it,
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Apparel Sector. The group emerged the overall national winner of both the Nagasaki Yamamoto Kaizen Award and the Taiki Akimoto 5S Awards in 2004, making history of sorts when both national awards were bagged by one company. Brandix has also received numerous other awards including Community Leader Awards, National Safety Awards, National Productivity Awards, Kaizen Awards and numerous customer-recognition accolades. Brandix continuously demonstrates its commitment to responsible business practices by actively pursuing ISO, SA8000 and WRAP certification programmes at its various plants. The companys commitment to the community at large was evident with Brandix Finishing being recognised for environmental excellence at the CIMA Community Leader Awards and by virtue of winning the Presidents Environmental Excellence Award in 2005. American & Efird Lanka (A&E Lanka), the Brandix-managed joint venture with American & Efird Inc. (USA) was recognised by CIMA as a Community Leader and, in 2006, it was awarded the Excellence in Social Responsibility Award by the American Apparel and Footwear Association in the Preservation of the Environment Category.

completed with the Jewelknit Group. A&E Brandix Hangers was later established through a joint venture in 2004. For the group, 2005-2006 was a watershed period, as it aggressively pursued a strategy of excellence in manufacturing with the establishment of the Brandix Centre of Inspiration, an automated denim plant, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of India for the Brandix Apparel City and the launch of its first manufacturing unit. Meanwhile, groundwork for Sintesi Limited was finalised and an MoU with the Government of Sri Lanka was signed to establish the Brandix Eco Zone in Horana.

Product
Brandixs core product is apparel and all its other pursuits are to enhance its quality levels, and add value to the groups products and services to benefit customers. Its many subsidiaries specialise in different types of apparel, textiles, accessories, finishing and trimmings. Brandix Casualwear is the backbone of the groups product portfolio and its seven production facilities manufacture basic pants, cargo pants, five-pocket jeans, shorts and skirts. Brandix Intimate Apparel dedicates itself to fine lingerie, sleep wear, knit tops and lounge wear based primarily on fleece, knits and micro-satin fabrics. Brandix Activewear is the latest addition to the product portfolio and produces camisoles, T-shirts, hoodies, jackets, shorts and track bottoms in knit cotton/synthetics, while Comfortwear produces fine lingerie bras, briefs, lingerie and swimwear for both the European and American markets. Another of its operations, Sintesi Limited, produces moulded sew-free intimate and active wear, while Brandix Finishing makes finishing an art as it undertakes wet processing and finishing. Brandix Textiles produces cotton and cotton Lycra woven fabric. Ocean Lanka and Textured Jersey produce weft-knit and dyed fabric, whilst Quenby Lanka Prints specialises in rotary screen and digital printing. In the accessories sector, A&E Lanka produces industrial sewing, embroidery and filament thread. Likewise, Brandix Hangers manufactures and supplies 200 million hangers a year. The groups diverse portfolio of companies ensures that customers can expect a chain of comprehensive apparel solutions to suit their every requirement.

Stevensons Lanka with joint venture partners Quantum Clothing and Lanka Equities, an exclusive garment-dyeing operation, at the Biyagama Export Processing Zone. It is the only exclusive dyeing plant in the country and is equipped with advanced art machines for dyeing cotton garments as well as softer garments made of material such as lambswool, cashmere, acrylic and more sensitive blends of cotton and woollen garments. Taking its knowledge of vertical operations to an unprecedented scale, the Brandix Apparel City a 1,000-acre apparel-manufacturing park is being set up in India. This undertaking has paved the way for Brandix to create investment opportunities for global apparel supply-chain partners and related service providers.

Promotion
Building strong customer and vendor relationships are pursuits of paramount importance for Brandix, while working in an ethical, socially responsible and transparent manner have been the determinants of its success. The group has let its products and services do the talking, playing down any overt promotional efforts, despite winning a slew of national awards for quality and productivity. Meanwhile, its corporate pillars of environment, people, technology, community commitment and compliance serve as beacons for its growth and strategic direction.

Recent Developments
Brandix has pursued an aggressive growth strategy to counter the challenges posed following the phasing out of the MFA, post2005, with an investment of over US$ 50 million. In 2006 a further US$ 25 million was infused to expand its Sri Lankan operations, with investments of US$ 35 million earmarked for 2007/08. Brandix has continued to invest in manufacturing infrastructure, including additional product categories and in the enhancement of its research and development, and design capabilities. The Brandix Centre of Inspiration (BCI), the casual-wear clusters one-stop point for designto-delivery, has already given returns in terms of productivity and effectiveness. BCI is a 250,000 square-foot state-of-the art, uniquely designed facility housing a top-notch product development and design centre, central warehousing and cutting facility, as well as marketing and merchandising operations. Another recent investment, Sintesi provides research, design and manufacture of moulded products. This new venture will add value to the manufacture of intimate apparel and commenced operations at a 10-acre facility in 2007. In September 2006, Brandix established

Brand Values
Brandix lives up to the epitome of an organisation which thrives on its values. The group is inherently dynamic, forward-looking and optimistic, and believes in striving for excellence and upholding transparency at all times. An ethical employer, it upholds the integrity of its employees, preserves the confidentiality of its customers and works in every possible way to create sustainability in its activities as well as for its stakeholders. In line with its commitment to the environment, Brandix will launch a Green Plan, which will be chartered over five years from 2008 and will be imbued with the tenets of carbon neutralisation, waste and energy management, alternative energy options, cleaner technology initiatives, and health and safety amongst a host of measures to ensure a completely green-compliant organisation.

History
The history of Brandix dates back to 1972, when Lux Shirts Limited forayed into the then virgin apparel-manufacturing industry. By 1981, Kuruwita Textile Mills was acquired and set the pace for a series of acquisitions that followed to mould and shape what is now the Brandix Group. LM Apparel, Gil Garments, Phoenix Fashions, Kuruwita Manchester Textile Mills, Eden Fashions and Lakeside Garments all formed this growth strategy over a period in excess of three decades. Sensing the sectors tremendous potential for growth, in 1990, the group established A&E Lanka followed by Lux Shirts Kahawatte in 1992. In 1993, the Kuruwita Textile Plant was commissioned and LM Collections set up. It was also during this year that formative steps were taken to consolidate the business under MAST Lanka Limited. In 1996, the group took its first tentative steps to establish overseas production facilities with the setting up of Eden Fashions (Maldives) whilst concurrently investing in Ocean Lanka and Finitex Textile Finishing. In 1997, the nations first academic institution for apparel technology was established with the setting up of the Phoenix College of Clothing Technology. Then, from 1998-2001, came DTM Buttons, Phoenix Clothing, Quenby Lanka Prints, Comfortwear and Columbia Clothing, through a series of joint ventures and the investment in Textured Jersey Lanka. Brandix as we know it today was unveiled through a rebranding strategy in 2002, while 2003 was a critical year for the group, with a concerted effort made to restructure it into apparel, textile and accessories sectors. It was also a year in which a joint-venture interest in Mast Industries was acquired to form a 100% Brandix company and where a merger was

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The Brandix icon represents mercury which stands for the dynamism of the organisation and its quicksilver ability to adapt to change. Brandix produced the first cargo pants for the mega-brand Abercrombie & Fitch. Eighty per cent of the entire GAP labels casual bottom product-development process happens at Brandix. The Brandix quarterly internal magazine Viyaman, with a readership of over 20,000 and running for over four years continuously, is Sri Lankas largest corporate magazine in private circulation. In 2004, Brandix was Microsoft Sri Lankas first customer to sign an Enterprise Agreement to demonstrate its commitment to safeguarding intellectual property rights.

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