Sri Lanka’s 5S and Kaizen guru recognised

Monday, 8 April 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Kelani Cables CEO Mahinda Saranapala was presented with a special appreciation award for introducing Japanese productivity concepts 5S and Kaizen as well as for services rendered towards the development of the concepts in the country for the past 23 years by the Japan-Sri Lanka Technical and Cultural Association (JASTECA) recently.

Saranapala was recognised during the JASTECA Productivity Awards 2012 held at the Galadari, with MAS Holdings Director Ajay Amalean as chief guest. The award presented to Saranapala by the Second Officer of the Japanese Embassy Hideki Ashishuka.

Saranapala was the recipient of a scholarship for a production management course in Japan in 1989, while he was working as the plant manager for the Nawaloka Group. He was the only Sri Lankan scholar in a team of 22 from around the world. During his stay in Japan, he studied 5S and Kaizen and introduced the concepts to Sri Lanka by organising seminars and workshops.

Saranapala founded his own company, M&S Associates Consultants, in 2004 and consulted for 60 Sri Lankan organisations and one Tanzanian company. His consultancy became very successful and drove 12 organisations to clinch gold awards at the country’s productivity awards. Brandix, MAS Holdings, Kelani Cables, ACL Cables, Unilever, Aqua Packaging, Fonterra, Atlas and Sri Lanka Telecom are few of the companies that have benefited from his service.