Benji to increase bra cup manufacturing with US $ 35mn expansion

Benji CEO and Managing Director Giorgio Montresor and senior representatives of the company with Board of Investment Chairman Arjuna Herath and officials of the investment promotion agency

Italy’s Oniverse has opted to increase investment in Sri Lanka, citing its extensive understanding of the local business ecosystem and renewed confidence in the normalisation of business in the country.

Accordingly, its company Benji Limited, which produces and exports corsetry items, specialising in moulding bra cups, inked an agreement for US $ 35 million.

At the agreement signing, Benji CEO and Managing Director Giorgio Montresor underlined the importance of Sri Lanka’s human resources in attracting new investment. He also noted that young Sri Lankans are highly capable of learning new technologies and their work ethic is among the greatest in the world.

All of the group’s companies currently employ about 15,000 people.

Currently, Benji manufactures 30 million bra cups. This fresh capital injection will bring in new technology-driven machines, with increased capacity and improved quality.

“We expect a 35 percent increase in production. All group firms source bra cups from Benji, reducing imports of bra cups from China to nil. As a result, this investment will not only increase foreign exchange inflows but also reduce dollar outflows,” said Montresor. Oniverse began operations in Verona, Italy, in 1986. Oniverse manages the whole product life cycle, from design to manufacturing in proprietary facilities to global distribution. Today, the group sells its products entirely through its single-brand 5,600 stores, which are either directly owned or franchised in 57 countries and employ over 45,000 people.

Oniverse is the industry’s dominant player in Europe and one of the top globally. Oniverse, then Calzedonia, entered Sri Lanka in 1999 by investing in Omega Line.