Draws curtain on another successful year with Suppliers’ Seminar

next Sourcing, a fully-owned subsidiary of the retail clothing and accessory giant next Plc - UK, recognized and rewarded its supplier base at the Suppliers’ Seminar held at the Park Street Mews Colombo recently. The event was graced by the management of next Sourcing including Chanaka Perera - Regional Director-South Asia and the next Sourcing Sri Lanka team together with representatives from the supplier base.

At the event, the company honored the top three suppliers for their outstanding performance during the last fiscal year while also recognizing the contributions of the supplier base that managed to achieve sales targets whilst continuing to maintain a highly-demanding and stringent focus on production quality. The Gold Award was won by next Manufacturing (Pvt) Limited, the Silver Award by Sumithra Garments PTE Ltd while Miami Exports (Pvt) Ltd secured the Bronze Award. The seminar included a performance overview of ‘next’ sales during the last quarter, with an update on the current performance in line with the Key Performance Indicators set by the international retail giant.

Expressing his views at the event, Chanaka Perera, Regional Director for South Asia - next Sourcing stated, “Another successful year has passed through tough and challenging conditions. We are privileged to acknowledge the fantastic contributions made by our valuable supply chain in Sri Lanka. As in previous years, they have ensured that they maintain the stringent quality standards that we at next Sourcing require. Their steadfast commitment to these high standards means that we’ve been able to produce world-class product that is appreciated by our valued customers across the globe”.

next Sourcing is engaged in design, sourcing, buying, merchandising and quality control of next products. The company also coordinates with a global network of offices to negotiate market prices, manages the supply chain, and ensures on-time delivery on behalf of next Plc.

Wilhelm Elias - General Manager next Sourcing opined, “It is a very successful year for us thanks to our young and dynamic team in Sri Lanka. The energy level and enthusiasm that radiates within the business is what keeps us going and this reflects in the numbers. We also applaud our suppliers for having worked with us to remain competitive despite the increasing demand and complexity of product. The handwriting achieved on the complex product by our supplier base has helped us to grow year on year and we look forward to a great 2016”.

Bi-annual factory evaluations allow the next Sourcing management to make the selections for the top three factories out of a relatively large factory base present in Sri Lanka.

Speaking at the event, Hugh McConnell - Technical Director of next Sourcing said, “Through more complicated fabric, design and wash processes the product manufactured for Next this year has become more challenging. Our suppliers have understood our joint future, worked together with us rising to the challenges, ensuring we manufacture the same high quality standard the country has built their reputation retaining Sri Lanka rating as the best supplier for quality in 2015 and deserve great credit”.

Twenty years of experience give next Sourcing an edge over global competition and an opportunity to create greater value for their stakeholders. next Sourcing Sri Lanka produces next-branded children’s and women’s garments, as well as women’s lingerie and menswear. Exclusive, coordinated collections of stylish, cost-effective garments are distributed through the next retail network, which consists of more than 500 stores in the UK alone and almost 200 stores in more than 40 countries. next Sourcing maintains eleven offices across eight countries worldwide, including Leicester, London, Turkey, Bangladesh, North India, South India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Photo Caption : next Sourcing - General Manager Wilhelm Elias, Sumithra Garments - Group General Manager Riza Farouk, next Manufacturing - Director of Manufacturing David Reay, Miami Exports - Managing Director Dushani Mahipala and next Sourcing - Regional Director South Asia Chanaka Perera