Hellmann Worldwide Logistics and MAS Holdings have announced a built-to-suit contract logistics facility in Kimbulapitiya, Gampaha District — six kilometres from Bandaranaike International Airport — that the partners describe as Sri Lanka’s first dedicated fashion logistics hub.
The facility is being developed through Hellmann MAS Supply Chain, the joint venture the two companies set up in 2018, and will sit within Hellmann’s South Asia network. It spans more than 8,000 square metres, features dual-zone humidity and climate control, and is fitted with solar panels, the companies said.
The hub is part of Hellmann’s “Forward 2030” strategy and is intended to strengthen the company’s fashion vertical as one of the key pillars of long-term growth within its global network. Sri Lanka’s positioning between Asia, Africa and Europe was cited as the rationale for siting the regional fashion gateway in the country rather than elsewhere in South Asia.
“Sri Lanka combines world-class manufacturing and contract logistics capabilities with agile fashion supply chains, making it a trusted partner for global brands,” said Hellmann Worldwide Logistics Regional COO for Contract Logistics IMEA Patrick Grzywa.
MAS Holdings Chief Operating Officer and Hellmann MAS Supply Chain board member Shakthi Ranatunge said the investment reflected MAS’s “continued commitment to strengthening Sri Lanka’s position as a globally competitive apparel hub” and would move the company “beyond traditional garment manufacturing to enable more integrated, end-to-end supply chain solutions for global brands.”
Hellmann reports annual sales of €3.8 billion with around 12,000 employees across 61 countries and handles more than 20 million shipments a year. MAS Holdings is South Asia’s largest apparel technology company.
The announcement positions Sri Lanka as a regional distribution node in addition to its established role as a garment manufacturing origin, and follows recent moves by the government to pitch Port City Colombo as a Free Trade Zone hub for tourism, transport, logistics and agriculture investment.
Source: Daily FT.
