INSEE Cement is one of Sri Lanka’s most reputable cement manufacturers. With its parent company headquartered in Thailand, it offers high-quality cement products to the South Asian & Southeast Asian markets. INSEE operates three local cement plants in Puttalam and Galle. Echelon sat down with INSEE to talk about the Puttalam plant’s anniversary of 50 years in serving the industry, and the four significant ways that the plant has built a solid foundation on trust and reliability.
Contributing to the growth and prosperity of the country
Th e Puttalam Cement Plant was set up under the Factories Act of Parliament in 1969 at a time when clinker was brought to the grinding plant in small quantities by train. The company produces the country’s most preferred cement brands ‘Sanstha’ and ‘Mahaweli Marine Plus’ that have the highest market share and largest customer base in the cement industry in Sri Lanka. As the premier cement supplier, INSEE products are a much-needed resource for the nation’s important development projects that are spurring growth and prosperity. Th e company is proud to supply cement for the building of highways, ports, airports, dams, bridges and high-rise buildings all around the island.
Backed by strong brand loyalty
Th e premium brand ‘Sanstha’ recently won the Nielsen People’s Award 2019 for the 8th consecutive year. Holding true to its legacy as Sri Lanka’s fi rst-ever blended cement product (blended with Portland Limestone under SLS 1253), INSEE SANSTHA is the most recognized home-building cement brand, with one in every three homes in the country built with INSEE Sanstha cement. It is finely blended and enriched with pure Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) and locally produced, resulting in higher strength and durability of concrete with an increased level of workability and significantly lower water demand.
[pullquote]INSEE Cement strongly believes in enriching the community around them[/pullquote]
High-quality products set to local and International standards
Certified by the Sri Lankan Standards (SLS) Institute with the SLS 1253:2015 standard as a blended cement, INSEE Sanstha is also Sri Lanka’s first cement product to be awarded the Green Labeling Certification by the Green Building Council of Sri Lanka (GBCSL). INSEE Sanstha also received the Green Mark Gold Award by the Ceylon Institute of Builders (CIOB).
The reputed company is proactive in raising brand benchmarks, and has seen greater response and reception of INSEE Sanstha as well as other diversified INSEE Cement products in the local market. INSEE is thrilled to be the clear choice of the people as the country’s construction and housing brand, and will continue to progressively address the changing requirements of Sri Lanka’s construction industry.
Empowering people
INSEE takes pride in empowering youth in the Puttalam area by giving them outstanding technical skills – the first step towards building independence and a sustainable livelihood. Th is will enhance their education levels, increase their employability, and give them a stable career path. The initiative will help develop future technicians for the nation as well. INSEE has also continued to support the national skills development strategy through its longstanding involvement in the Youth Vocational Training program, a special skills development initiative for youth in the vicinity of the Puttalam Cement Plant. Made possible by an MoU with the Enterprise-Based Vocational Education (EVE) Training Centre and the National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA), the Youth Vocational Training program is designed in line with the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) curriculum. The programme was first developed in response to requests by the community via the annual CAP (Community Advisory Panel) meetings organized by the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility team.
It is a two-year course, where the training and coaching is done by dedicated trainers from NAITA. Students spend the first year learning the basics of pneumatics, hydraulics, lathe/milling, Auto CAD, etc., with additional lessons in English and IT; while in the second year, they receive full-time practical training at INSEE’s Puttalam Cement Plant. All second-year trainees are paid a monthly allowance, in addition to transport, meals and technical support.
Since its launch in 2007, the Youth Vocational Training program has benefitted over 222 youth in Puttalam and surrounding areas, all of whom have successfully graduated as technicians in electrical and metal fabrication. Many who graduated have been absorbed by INSEE as full-time employees, while others continue to be engaged as independent contractors across the industry. In 2018, the course was upgraded to NVQ level 4 status.
INSEE Cement strongly believes in enriching the community particularly in areas where they do business. The youth employment initiative has undoubtedly uplifted the living standards of youth in Puttalam and inspired them to develop themselves to their full potential.