Sierra Readymix wins place among Top 23 at International Best Practices Awards 2015

Sierra Readymix Director/General Manager Lal C. Weerasinghe collecting award for innovation and internationally recognised best practice – Waste water and Grout reutilisation

Sierra Readymix, a pioneer in the environmentally-friendly Concrete Manufacture industry, was adjudged one of the Top 23 Best Practices in the world at the fourth International Best Practice Competition held recently in the Philippines. The firm was commended for the best operational practices, processes, systems, and initiatives presented. Noteworthy of mention was Sierra’s water conservation efforts, which, if adopted by all Readymix plants in the country, will allow for a whopping 1.7 million litres of water to be saved annually.

Established in October 2005, Sierra Readymix Ltd. is a state-of-the-art and innovative large/medium scale readymix concrete manufacturing firm in Sri Lanka. The company operates under the vision of Managing Director Nimal Lokuge and Director/General Manager Lal C. Weerasinghe.

Over the past decade and under the guidance of Weerasinghe, an avid nature-lover, Sierra Readymix set out to become the nation’s first ever environmentally-friendly batching plant. The firm’s core belief is to minimise the environmental impact of current industry practices. These practices include avoiding the dumping of waste concrete as well as avoiding the wastage of process water. A steady commitment to this mission has seen Sierra Readymix setting up the island’s first environmentally-friendly batching plant in the Templeburg Industrial Estate, Homagama.  

The environmentally-friendly pioneering concrete manufacturer also initiated superior green practices, such as the 100% re-use of process waste water, in addition to waste grout reduction and reutilisation practices. 

These efforts were initially identified and recognised by Sri Lanka’s National Cleaner Production Centre which recognised the company for ‘Excellent Water Management’ and ‘Excellent Material Management’. Sierra Readymix’s efforts were then challenged internationally to be reviewed for being a ‘Best Practice’ Organisation amongst many countries of diverse industries. 

In preparation for this year’s competition, Sierra Readymix was highlighted for its pioneering practice of Waste Process Water Reduction, Grout Accumulation Reduction and Precast Reutilisation at customer sites and at their own plants. 

Two major findings shared by Sierra during their presentation in the Philippines was the potential to save 1.7 million litres of water annually, if their Internationally Awarded Best Practices are adopted by all Readymix Plants in Sri Lanka as a whole. Similarly, Sierra pointed out that the grout waste generated from washing trucks – usually an unwanted source of pollution at site – could be transformed with efficient reutilisation of waste into the manufacturing of no less than 350,000 cement bricks annually. Sierra Readymix went on to inform the competition judges that these cement bricks could then be donated to communities for low-cost housing and as part of possible corporate social responsibility projects.

The fourth International Best Practice Competition was won by Al Jazeera International Catering LLC’s project ‘CSR Engagement Strategy for Sustainability Excellence’ and the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services’ project ‘Cultural Sensitivity Gives Birth to a Maternity Care’. 

The Competition was run alongside the International Conference on Public Sector Productivity and Innovation. The annual contest provides an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of individuals and teams that have been responsible for creating and/or managing the introduction and deployment of best practices.

Spurred on by this year’s success, Sierra Readymix has a new vision to lead by example and take its message to all Readymix industries. While continuing to lend a hand, Sierra urges industries to save water and protect the environment for none other than the benefit of our future generations.