Silueta becomes first Lankan apparel company to get ISO 9001:2015 certification

From left: Ranesh Handunnethi-COO, Silueta, Surain Senaratne-Management Representative Quality Management Systems, Silueta, Eranga Jayewardene- CEO, Silueta, Suren Fernando-Chief Executive Officer, MAS Intimates with N Sriram-Country Manager SGS Lanka (Pvt) Ltd.

Silueta (Pvt) Limited, a subsidiary of MAS Holdings, was awarded the ISO 9001:2015 certification, for the first time in the history of the Apparel Industry in Sri Lanka. The certification was awarded in recognition of the company’s commitment to ensuring the highest quality in its products. 
Silueta (Pvt) Limited, located in the Biyagama Export Processing Zone, started commercial operations in 2004as a backward integration supplier to support the intimate apparel industry in the region. 
Today they are a leading molded bra pad supplier to intimate apparel manufacturers both within MASas well as other lingerie manufacturers in the region.  Silueta’s innovation-driven growth plan led to the establishment of the Close Comfort Project (CCP) which uses patented technology for silicone and flock application on garments. 
Branded ‘Silsoft’, this technology is used in numerous apparel solutions such as customised compression. The technology is part of trend-setting, innovative products for brands such as Victoria Secret, Nike, Marks and Spencer, Triumph, Sloggi, HOM, Berlie and Land’s End. The technology was put to the test by Nike, who used strategically placed silicone panels on the 2011 Rugby World Cup jerseys for England and France to enhance durability and grip. 
Silueta was awarded the ISO 9001: 2008 certification in 2012. Receiving the ISO 9001: 2015 further substantiatesthe company’s commitment to continuous improvement of processes to offer superior products and services to its customers. With lean manufacturing and quality systems being embedded into the operating processes, built-in-quality became integrated into the system. A new culture developed where people add value to the processes that drive the business. 
“Certifications build mutual trust between suppliers and buyers, and become imperative in an industry where speed is everything. It also enhances the organisation’s ability to create more efficient, dynamic and productive internal resource utilisation systems to shape our future,” said Ranesh Handunnethi, COO of Silueta. 
The new standard takes into account the demands of today’s dynamic and globally-interconnected world. Some of the key advancements include: a greater emphasis on building a management system more aligned to each organisation’s particular needs, greater senior leadership involvement and accountability, alignment of quality with wider business strategy, and risk-based thinking and opportunity identification. There are also less prescriptive requirements for documentation and alignment with other key management system standards through the use of a common structure and core text.  
Chief Executive Officer of Silueta, Eranga Jayewardene concluded “We have achieved a great milestone in becoming the first in the Industry to receive the ISO 9001:2015 certification, confirming our commitment to uphold the highest standards of governance and transparency. This new standard brings quality and continuous improvement into the heart of our business and ensures that quality management is integrated and aligned with the business strategies of our organisation.”