The Sri Lanka Chamber of Small and Medium Industries, from it’s humble beginnings as the All Ceylon Small Industries Association in April 1963 completes sixty one years of its existence with a profound sense of fulfilment of having ably served this Country’s SME sector over the years.
Throughout its history, the Chamber egaged with the stste to be of maximum assistance to the SME Sector. The Chamber was represented in a committee that was formed under the ministry of Industrial Development to, to formulate what was described as a Policy a Sector Development and Strategy Document on Small and Medium Enterprise , such Development and the Monetary Policy Consultative Committee of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to address outstanding issues confronting the SMEs, such as soaring bank interest rates, besides the continuing efforts of the Chamber to strengthen our SME sector through the establishment of mutually beneficial links with worlds most dynamic economies.
To be the leading Chamber Promoting Small and Medium Industry in Sri Lanka.
To promote Small and Medium Industries in Sri Lanka.
To be the spokesman of the SME sector, to promote, protect and serve the interest of our members, by assisting them to actively and effectively contribute to the National Development.
The Chamber got off the ground, at the Dawasa Newspaper office under the patronage of Chief Editor of the Dawasa Group of Newspapers, D B Dhanapala and Albert Edirisinghe as Charter President. At that time, it was a fledging organisation in the world of business institutions, Yet today, it has spread its wings and is a vibrant and redoubtable champion of Sri Lanka’s SME Sector. The Chambers success has been its sense of commitment to the cause of improving the lot of the Small and medium entrepreneur.
The Chamber has taken up the concerns of the SME Sector with the authorities over the years to the best of it’s ability and this has greatly enhanced the profile and repute of the Chamber in the eyes of the world. We have time and again, pointed to the government that the bank rates, are most extortionate viability and the free imports of goods and raw materials and taxes thereon are affecting the viability of many SMEs In fact many of these businesses are on NPL status or almost collapsing.
The Chamber could be said to have borne the vicissitudes of Sri Lanka’s post-independent economic history with considerable resilience. In the early seventies, for example, amid the rigors of the global oil crisis, the Chamber stood by its members and ensured survival of the latter, rations and restrictions not withstanding. It was in those years of scarcities , by an interesting coincidence, that in 1963, the orgnisation was re-named Sri Lanka Chamber of Small Industry. Later on,With the further growth of its members from micro to small and small to medium and from medium to Large, the organisation was renamed Sri Lanka Chamber of Small and Medium Industries in 1981 by an amendment to the Act.
Throughout its history, the Chamber egaged with the stste to be of maximum assistance to the SME Sector. The Chamber was represented in a committee that was formed under the ministry of Industrial Development to, to formulate what was described as a Policy a Sector Development and Strategy Document on Small and Medium Enterprise , such Development and the Monetary Policy Consultative Committee of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to address outstanding issues confronting the SMEs, such as soaring bank interest rates, besides the continuing efforts of the Chamber to strengthen our SME sector through the establishment of mutually beneficial links with worlds most dynamic economies
Three visits were undertaken to Australia by the Chamber in 2007, 2008 and 2011 and an MOU signed with Australia - Sri Lanka Business Council during the last visit. The Business Chambers of Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland were visited and measures for the strengthening of bilateral trade between Australia and Sri Lanka were discussed, amongst a host of other matters.
With these achievements among many others under its belt, the Chamber celebrated its Golden Jubilee (50 yrs) in 2013, with its Industrial Excellence Award.
The activities of the Chamber were strengthened and extended to the Provinces with the support of our sponsors, Union Bank, Bank of Ceylon, Peoples Bank, NDB Bank, DFCC Bank etc.
The significance of this flagship event of the Chamber is the national recognition given to SMEs every year, with keen participation and it culminates with the selection of National Winners of Excellence in Industry, from amongst SMEs islandwide, for their outstanding contributions to the National Economy.
Under the leadership of Mr Aloy Jayawardene, the late President Emeritus who has served over fifteen years as the President and a founding father, the Chamber has proved a doughty defender of the legitimate interests of particularly, the country’s smaller businesses.
In the year 2000,Aloy Jayawrdene was once again elected President of the Chamber, after having served as President from 1973 for 5 years. During his 2nd tenure, two affiliated associations were formed: the Small and Medium Industry Association of Ruhuna and the Small and Micro Industry Association of Jaffna. Another noteworthy event was the signing of an MOU between the Chamber and the Karnataka Small Industries of Bangalore in 2002.
