Factory Estate

March 25, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka's Hemas Holdings has put on sale its industrial complex in Welisara, a northern suburb of the capital Colombo, where it made consumer products like soap and toothpaste. The move follows the group's shift of manufacturing to a new location in Dankotuwa, also north of Colombo, to take advantage of new government tax breaks for relocating industries in rural areas to generate employment.

The company has advertised for offers for the 929 perch block with 169,000 square feet of factory and office space.

"We're selling the property because we're moving to a new site in Dankotuwa where we have set up a new plant," a company official said.

Manufacturing has already started at the new plant in Dankotuwa with full production expected from April 1.

The site on sale is within the Welisara industrial complex with a convenient location being 100 metres from the existing main road and four km from the planned new highway between Colombo and the airport.

Company officials said it was also useful for export industries being 16 km from Colombo port and 13 km from the Katunayake international airport.

Existing facilities at the Welisara site include a sewer