CTC awards outstanding Leaf Team members

Monday, 22 April 2013 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Ceylon Tobacco Company recognised its field officers and leaf executives for their outstanding performance with its leaf optimisation programme, Project LEO. The project, which spanned the entirety of 2012, sought to improve the quality of tobacco leaf produced, enhance the technology utilised in the growing and curing process and ensure the sustainability of leaf supply.

Christopher De Silva won the Best Leaf Executive’s Award, with Tony Gamage and Mithila Bandara coming up second and third respectively, whilst K. Senevirathne was the Best Field Officer, followed by Harsha Karunarathne and Buddhika Rathnapala. The winners received their awards from CTC’s Managing Director and CEO Felicio Ferraz and the Executive Committee.

Project LEO marked a number of milestones for Ceylon Tobacco Company. Of 19 leaf operations in the BAT Group globally, Ceylon Tobacco Company is the first company in the world to use paddy husk as an alternate fuel for curing tobacco curing instead of firewood. But some countries also began employing ‘bulk curers’ using electricity, whereby the quality of curing can be better perfected. Under Project LEO, CTC installed South Asia’s first automated bulk curer at Galewela. With this technology, the company was able to improve its productivity in the curing process by over 40 per cent. In addition, the project focused on improving the quality and yield of tobacco leaf in areas like Galewela, Polonnaruwa and Mahiyanagaya.

Ceylon Tobacco Company’s Managing Director and CEO Felicio Ferraz stated: “CTC has forged a reputation within the BAT Group for delivering firsts. The use of paddy husk for leaf curing, and now the installation of this bulk curer demonstrates the company and its teams’ commitment to be innovative and push the boundaries of advancement. Project LEO has shown us how much more we can do in the sphere of agriculture, and the benefits of which would cascade down to the grassroots beyond our industry. I look forward to the next phase of LEO.”

CTC’s LEO awards programs appreciated and awarded the leadership demonstrated by individuals and each work stream in delivering these expanded targets. Project LEO will enter its second phase in 2013.