Upon working in production, manufacturing, and service industries for the government, military forces as well as private and international companies, Dr. (Eng.) Ananda Handunge owns an immaculate track record of over thirty-eight years of experience in the holistic field of mechanical engineering. Now, as the current Chief Executive Officer at the Solid Tyre Division of Ferentino Tyres, he continues to pour his heart and soul to all opportunities that present themselves to him with a sense of absolute devotion.
Ananda was born in 1963. Although his father was from Wadduwa, he was brought up in Kandy.While his mother was a housewife who took care of the home front, Ananda’s father worked in the Lake House Publication. Despite rooting from a normal village family, Ananda and his two brothers were given education in leading schools. “My two brothers and I have set an example for the neighborhood by creating a welcoming living environment in the village fork”, he proudly states. “.Our lifestyle was a free and fair one, and we enjoyed the fullest happiness in life as the children of the era”
Giving us an insight into his educational background, Ananda mentions having completed his primary schooling at Junior Secondary School of Peradeniya and went on to gain his secondary education at Dharmaraja College Kandy. Upon concluding his OLs with great triumph, he was also selected as the representative on behalf of the central province for an all-island best student contest of the year in 1979.
Ananda began pursuing his higher studies in mechanical engineering at the age of sixteen by enrolling in the University of Moratuwa and thus it in the year 1984. Continuing went on to attain his MBA from the University of Leicester, UK, in 2004 and Ph.D. in Total Quality Management from the UK in 2008. Having received an MSc. (Eng.) in Professional Engineering from the University of Derby, the UK in 2018 resulted in Ananda becoming a Chartered Mechanical Engineer (CEng), thus qualifying as an International Professional Engineer (IntPE) with the Engineering Council of the United Kingdom. “I am also a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) with the Australian Institute of Certified ManagementAccountants, a member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers(MIMechE) in the United Kingdom, and a member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology(MITE) in the United Kingdom”, he mentions. He is one of the advisory committee members for the Ministry of Industry& Commerce -Rubber product division and also to Sri Lanka Export Development Board.
Moving on to acquainting us with his line of work, Ananda recalls starting off as a probationary engineer at the Sri Lanka Transport Board. “My lifetime achievements were in man management and organizing system changes for improved productivity of the operation and maintenance work, which benefited the institution in managing men, materials, and costs”, he says. Taking his leave from SLTB two years later, Ananda joined the Sri Lankan Airforce in 1986 as a direct enlistment commissioned Engineering Officer in the Technical Engineering Branch. Having been in their service for six years, not only was Ananda able to combat operations in small and large measures but was also able to maintain the vehicle fleets and other ground equipment amidst it all.
Ananda’s next career take on was at Sri Lankan Airlines where he assumed the role of an Automotive Engineer in the year 1991. Sharing his experience during his time there he says,“I was able to learn more about automobile maintenance practices at Air Lanka with a fair amount of managerial application in the smooth functioning of the vehicles and plant & equipment”. Choosing to test his ambition overseas, Ananda’s following stop was the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “I left the country to join a Saudi Arabian British management company as a mechanical engineer in 1993 and worked for two years in their Works in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”, he states. One year into his job there,Ananda was promoted to the position of Senior Mechanical Engineer where he gathered western managerial skills.
Subsequent to Ananda’s return, he joined St Anthony’s Industries Group (Pvt) Ltd as a Group Factory Manager in 1997 and left in 2000 after serving them for 3 years.
Having gone through a couple more shifts in position and companies over the next couple of years as the Factory Manager and subsequently became the Director/General Manager at Camso Loadstar Ekala Division in 2004 happened to be the turning point of his carrier path and life. Camso loadstar is the largest solid tyre manufacture in the world and also the largest tyre exporter of Sri Lanka. He managed three tyre manufacturing plants at the same time as the Director/ General Manager of Camso Loadstar.Then he went on to build up the Solid Tyre plant for Laugfs Corporation (Rubber) Ltd in 2007 as the Chief Executive Office. He took over the Senior Project Consultant & Technical Advisor position at Emrald Resilient Tyre Manufacturer (PVT) LTD in India in 2010, and also as the Chairman/ CEO of Global Engineering Solutions (Pvt) Ltd. in 2013. He assumed duties as Director of Capital Maharaja Group in 2014 for about one year period and started a carrier in consultancy for the tyre manufacturing industries in India, Thailand, and Turkey as the Senior Consultant/Advisor. Ananda acquired the position that he is in today as the CEO at FerentinoTyres Corporation (Pvt) in 2019 and works since its inception.
Ferentino Tyres is the Sri Lanka’s largest tyre plant at present and is also one of the largest tyre plants in all of South Asia. “Being the newest company set up to produce solid tires has been a very challenging job for me. However, the Ferentino Tires were built up to their current status through a systematic approach and careful planning, and they are now a very successful entity”, he apprises. His past experience have been immensely supported these work and he has got the higher managerial support as well as all of the other piers and subordinates to make the project a successful one.
When asked about the core functions of Ferentino Tyres, Ananda mentions that they maintain the highest quality management procedure at every stage of the process. “They have employed the most modern plant machinery available for the job. All products have been produced with the correct procedures and standards”, he explains. From providing the best product ranges to customers to on-time product delivery and even after- sales support, Ferentino achieves a great deal via their functions which in turn make them distinguishable amongst their competitors in the global market.
He has mentioned that total quality management, production process re-engineering, training & development are some of the key areas that Ferentino looks after in their successful operation and to achieve the organizational objectives.
Despite facing an economic turndown that did impact the business, Ferentino adapted to overcome the situation in order to sustain the manufacturing of their products. Ananda also mentions that control of all variable overheads, energy management, increase of productivity by process reengineering, minimize the wastage and ensure high degree of product quality with competitive price to the global market are the key areas that one should follows.
Achieving a great deal in the midst of all his roles,Ananda continues to contribute his experience and knowledge towards the betterment of Ferentino’s future. With a keen vision on becoming the world’s leading solid tyre manufacturer alongside competitive price, on time delivery and total customer satisfaction, Ferentino looks forward to contributing to the growth of the Sri Lankan economy as a foreign currency earner. “Everybody in the company works with one mind to further develop its activities and improve product supply. This could be easily achievable if the team work provides a concrete base.”
Having a beautiful family of his own with a wife who supports and contributes in providing a comfortable living alongside two children who are on the path of pursuing their ambitions. His son is a UK qualified accountant and his daughter studies in a foreign university as a medical student. Ananda’s foundation of life both personally and professionally has led him to accomplish an abundance, thus taking him places with a ‘can do anything’ attitude despite any setbacks or barriers.