Hayleys reveals plans to build ‘World Export Centre’ twin towers

Sri Lanka’s diversified Hayleys group yesterday revealed its latest venture, the ‘World Export Centre,’ a state-of-the-art ‘A’ grade office twin towers, with 55 floors each, having 3.8 million square feet of commercial office space. 

The towers will provide working space for 20,000 employees, with ample parking for over 2,000 vehicles, 3 floors of retail and office amenities. 

“This transformative project, the viability of which would depend on infrastructure development incentives offered by the government of Sri Lanka similar to what has been granted in the recent past for similar developments, will enable Sri Lankan and global export-oriented firms to house and exhibit their products and services in a single holistic location,” a brief statement by the company said.
When inquired from Hayley group Executive Chairman/CEO Mohan Pandithage of the investment and the timelines of the project, he told Mirror Business that a detailed statement containing all the information about the project would be released shortly. 

Hayleys Co-Chairman and controlling shareholder Dhammika Perera this October hinted on his plans to construct an office tower to house the group businesses saying that having separate small offices was too costly. 

“I’m right now learning more about office complexes,” Perera told the 37th National Conference of Chartered Accountants this October.

Perera said he had been talking to a foreign consultant about the project, where the consultant was surprised by the lack of ‘A’ grade office complexes in the country.

Over 100 companies operate under Hayleys group and it owns a 6-acre land in Foster Lane, Colombo 10 where currently the group operations are located. The property where the new twin towers will be constructed was valued over Rs.6.3 billion according to Hayley PLC’s latest annual report.