ACL Cables PLC

ACL Cables සුභ සාධක සංගමය මඟින් සංවිධානය කළ, "ගරු කටානායකතුමනි" වේදිකා නාට්‍යය ප්‍රදර්ශනය කළ දිනයේ සේයා රූ සටහන්..

Pioneering Power: How ACL Cables Transformed Sri Lanka’s Industrial Landscape
in Conversation with Mr. Daya Wahalatantiri

From manufacturing Sri Lanka’s first domestic cables in 1962 to engineering massive power conductors for global export, ACL Cables has driven the nation's electrification for over six decades.

In this interview, Mr. Daya Wahalatantiri Director of ACL Cables PLC, who joined the company as its first Marketing Manager in 1982 - reflects on four decades of market leadership, engineering leaps and the quality culture that built an industry giant.

Q1: ACL began in 1962 as Sri Lanka’s first domestic cable manufacturer. How did international technical partnerships help establish your foundational quality culture?

Mr. Wahalatantiri:
When we commenced operations in 1962, our focus was doing things right from day one. We established a technical collaboration with Mitsui of Japan, bringing in Japanese machinery, processing technologies and engineers to train our local team.

That early immersion gave us more than just production capacity; it instilled a permanent mindset of Japanese precision, strict quality control and an engineering-first culture. That foundational standard remains the DNA of ACL to this day.

Q2: Following the 1977 open economy reforms, Sri Lanka saw rapid infrastructure growth. How did ACL scale manufacturing to meet these domestic demands?

Mr. Wahalatantiri:
The post-1977 economic liberalisation opened immense opportunities, but it demanded rapid scaling. At the time, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) relied heavily on imported aluminium conductors. We partnered with India’s Alind to manufacture aluminium conductors locally, successfully shifting the country toward domestic self-reliance.

To support this growth, we relocated our primary high-capacity operations from Kalutara to a purpose-built facility in Piliyandala. By 1984, we introduced localised armoured power cables, powering landmark national developments including the Bank of Ceylon headquarters.

Q3: ACL broke international barriers by securing global tenders and exporting across the region. What were the key turning points in competing internationally?

Mr. Wahalatantiri:
In 1989, we collaborated with LECO to introduce Aerial Bundled Cables (ABC) under Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded distribution networks - a regional first in South Asia.

Shortly after, we formed a joint venture with Nokia’s cable division in Finland. Our engineers trained in Finland and Finnish experts worked alongside us here. That technical edge enabled us to win major international bids, including a landmark contract in 1993 with BSES/Reliance to supply power distribution networks in New Delhi. Traditionally, advanced engineering flowed from India to Sri Lanka; winning that tender reversed the technology flow and proved Sri Lankan engineering could win on the global stage.

Q4: Backward integration has been central to ACL’s cost and quality leadership. How did investing in your own raw material plants strengthen your competitive advantage?

Mr. Wahalatantiri:
Relying on imported intermediate materials limits control over cost and consistency. We systematically addressed this through backward integration:
• 1993 (PVC Compounding): Moved from importing finished compounds to importing resin and formulating PVC in-house.
• 2004 (Aluminium Continuous Casting): Set up a plant converting raw aluminium ingots directly into EC-grade and specialised alloy rods.
• Upward Copper Casting: Commissioned an upward casting facility using 99.99% pure copper cathodes to produce high-conductivity rod stock in-house.

Having direct control over these raw materials allowed us to optimise conductivity, improve energy-saving cable performance and maintain cost competitiveness against international suppliers.

Q: ACL has achieved remarkable export success in highly regulated developed markets. Could you elaborate on your collaboration with Australia’s leading cable manufacturer, Olex and what it took to supply that market?

Mr. Wahalatantiri:
Exporting cables to developed nations like Australia is an entirely different playing field. Australia enforces exceptionally stringent regulatory standards and zero tolerance for defect margins. If an installed cable fails, the replacement cost, operational downtime and legal liability run into millions of dollars.

Our breakthrough came through our collaboration with Olex, Australia’s foremost cable manufacturer. Because of our continuous aluminium casting plant established in 2004, we had developed the rare capability to produce specialised aluminium alloy rods in-house. That precision metallurgy allowed us to manufacture the exact high-specification conductors and heavy-duty industrial cables required for the Australian grid.

When Olex evaluated us:
•Sample Certification: We engineered prototypes to Australian national standards, submitted samples for rigorous laboratory testing and secured full quality sign-off.
•Zero Defect Record: Over a continuous supply relationship spanning seven to eight years, we exported specialised cables manufactured right here in Sri Lanka. Throughout that entire multi-year period, we maintained a flawless track record—not a single batch rejection or quality failure.
•Co-Branding Trust: The level of confidence Olex placed in our engineering was demonstrated by co-branding products under the "ACL-Olex" banner.
•Supplying a premier manufacturer like Olex—who intimately knows cable design and manufacturing tolerances—and having them market our product under their own name was a massive achievement. It proved that Sri Lankan manufacturing does not just compete on price; it can meet the highest technical benchmarks in the world.

Q5: Safety has defined ACL’s modern innovations, from Fire-Guard to heavy-duty exports and APQO recognition. What role has ACL played in advancing cable safety standards?

Mr. Wahalatantiri:
Prior to 2005, the standard domestic wiring cable used throughout the country was standard PVC. While standard PVC performs well under normal conditions, it carries a major inherent vulnerability during an electrical short circuit: the intense heat ignites the insulation and the cable acts like a fuse, propagating flames along walls, ceilings and cable trays. In major domestic and factory fires, the wiring was frequently the culprit spreading the blaze.

Seeing advancements abroad, our late Chairman Mr. Upali Madanayake and our technical team realized that Sri Lankan consumers and infrastructure needed self-extinguishing protection. Because of our backward integration - specifically our in-house PVC compounding plant established in 1993 - we didn’t have to rely on generic off-the-shelf imports.

We formulated a proprietary, flame-retardant PVC compound capable of self-extinguishing immediately when exposed to electrical spark ignition. In 2005, we brought this breakthrough to market under the name ACL Fire-Guard.

Introducing it was an immediate market success, but it created an alarming secondary problem: imitation. Competitors began labelling ordinary PVC cables with misleading names suggesting flame protection. Because ordinary cables feed fires while genuine fire-retardant cables halt them, this posed an enormous, life-threatening hazard to the public.

When we approached the Consumer Affairs Authority, their position was clear: without an official, legally recognised Sri Lanka Standard (SLS) specifically governing fire-retardant building cables, they had no regulatory teeth to penalise deceptive claims.

That realisation kicked off an exhaustive, nearly two-decade commitment:
•Standard Formulation: We formally partnered with the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) to draft and establish a dedicated national standard for fire-retardant cables.
•Navigating Industry Resistance: The initiative met significant resistance across the manufacturing sector, as establishing rigorous flame-retardancy testing and quality metrics required competitors to upgrade machinery, invest in specialised formulations and overhaul production.
•Pandemic Delays: When final drafts were moving toward ratification, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted proceedings, moving critical stakeholder negotiations and standard reviews into exhaustive virtual Zoom conferences with the SLSI and competing manufacturers.
•National Codification: After nearly 20 years of relentless advocacy and technical submissions, the official SLS standard for fire-retardant cables was finalised and gazetted in 2025.

Today, genuine compliance is signified in the market under this standard, with our signature formulation continuing to protect homes and commercial landmarks across Sri Lanka. For ACL, pioneering Fire Guard wasn't just about selling a premium product - it was about using our technical weight to legally compel an entire national industry to build safer infrastructure.

ACL FireGuard, Flame Retardant க்கான SLS தரநிலையைப் பெற்ற இலங்கையின் முதல் வணிகநாமமாக பெயரிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இற்றைக்கு இருபது ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன் இலங்கையில் தீ பரவாத வயரை முதன்முதலில் அறிமுகப்படுத்த ACL Cables நடவடிக்கையெடுத்தது. அதன் மூலம் நுகர்வோரின் பாதுகாப்பை மென்மேலும் உறுதி செய்வதில் ACL வெற்றி கண்டது.

மேலும் ACL FireGuard இலங்கையில் முதல் முறையாக Flame Retardant இற்கான SLS சான்றிதழ் பெற்றமை ஒரு சிறப்பம்சமாகும். அது ACL க்கு மட்டுமன்றி இந்தத் துறையிலேயே ஒரு புதிய மைல்கல்லைக் குறித்து நிற்கின்றது. அதேபோல் Flame Retardant தொடர்பாக ஒரு தரநிலையை நிறுவுவதிலும் ACL முன்நின்று செயலாற்றுகின்றது.

இந்தத் தொழில்நுட்பம் காரணமாக மின்சாரக் கசிவால் ஏற்படும் உயிரிழப்பு மற்றும் சொத்துச் சேதங்களைக் குறைத்துக் கொள்ள முடியும். எனவே, நுகர்வோர் இந்த வயர்களைத் தங்கள் வீடுகளிலும் கட்டிடங்களிலும் மிகவும் பாதுகாப்பாகவும் நம்பிக்கையாகவும் பயன்படுத்த முடியும்.


ஊதா நிற வயர்

புதிய தரநிலையை பெற்றுக் கொண்டதுடன் ACL FireGuard இப்போது ஊதா நிறத்தில் சந்தையில் கிடைக்கக் கூடியதாக இருக்கின்றது. எனவே, நுகர்வோர் இதை இன்னும் எளிதாக அடையாளம் காண முடியும்.

மேலும் போலியான தயாரிப்புகளுக்கு ஏமாறாமல் ACL Fireguard ஐத் தேர்ந்தெடுக்க இந்த நிறம் உங்களுக்கு உதவுகின்றது.

Flame Retardant கேபள்களின் பயன்பாடு ஒரு முறைசார்ந்த தேவையாக உருவாக்குவதற்கு நீண்ட காலத்திற்கு முன்பிருந்தே ACL நிறுவனம் FireGuard தொழில்நுட்பத்தை சந்தைக்கு அறிமுகப்படுத்தியது. பாதுகாப்பான மின்சார உட்கட்டமைப்பு மூலம் மனித உயிர்கள், சொத்துக்கள், கட்டிடங்கள் மற்றும் சுற்றுச்சூழலைப் பாதுகாக்க கிடைக்கும் ஆதரவின் அடிப்படையில், இருபது ஆண்டுகளுக்கும் மேலாக இத்தயாரிப்பு மேம்படுத்தப்பட்டு உருவாக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

எப்பொழுதும் புத்தாக்கத்தில் நம்பிக்கை கொண்டுள்ள ACL, 20 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு தீ பரவாத வயர்களை இலங்கைக்கு அறிமுகப்படுத்தியதைப் போலவே, எதிர்காலத்திலும் மென்மேலும் ஆராய்ச்சிகளை மேற்கொண்டு உங்களுக்காகப் புதிய தயாரிப்புகளை வழங்க ஆர்வமாக உள்ளது.

ACL FireGuard, Flame Retardant සඳහා SLS ප්‍රමිතිය හිමිකරගත් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ප්‍රථම සන්නාමය බවට පත්වෙයි.

ඊට දශක දෙකකට පෙර ගිනි පැතිරෙන්නැති වයර් මුලින්ම ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට හඳුන්වාදීමට ACL Cables පියවර ගනු ලැබීය. එමඟින් පාරිභෝගිකයන්ගේ ආරක්ෂාව වඩ වඩාත් තහවුරු කිරීමට ACL සමත් විය.

තවද ACL FireGuard වෙත ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ප්‍රථම වරට Flame Retardant සඳහා SLS සහතිකය හිමිවීමද විශේෂත්වයකි. එය ACL හට පමණක් නොව මෙම ක්ෂේත්‍රයේම නව සංධිස්ථානයක් සනිටුහන් කරන්නකි. එසේම Flame Retardant සඳහා ප්‍රමිතියක් ස්ථාපනය කිරීම සඳහාද ACL මැදිහත්ව ක්‍රියාකරනු ලැබීය.

මෙම තාක්ෂණය නිසා විදුලි කාන්දු හේතුවෙන් සිදුවන ජීවිත හානි මෙන්ම දේපළ හානි ද අවම කර ගත හැකිය. එමනිසා පාරිභෝගිකයන්ට වඩාත් ආරක්ෂාකාරීව සහ විශ්වාසවන්තව මෙම වයර් තම නිවාස හා ගොඩනැගිලි සඳහා යොදාගැනීමට හැකියාව ලැබෙයි.

දම් පැහැති වයරය

නව ප්‍රමිතිය හිමිවීමත් සමඟ ACL FireGuard දැන් දම් පැහැයෙන් වෙළෙඳපොළ වෙත නිකුත් වෙයි. එමනිසා පාරිභෝගිකයන්ට වඩාත් පහසුවෙන් හඳුනාගත හැකිවේ. තවද ව්‍යාජ නිෂ්පාදනවලට නොරැවටී ACL FireGuard ම තෝරාගැනීමට දම් පැහැය නිසා ඉඩකඩ හිමිවේ.

Flame Retardant කේබල් භාවිතය විධිමත් අවශ්‍යතාවයක් වීමට බොහෝ කලකට පෙර සිට ACL සමාගම විසින් FireGuard තාක්ෂණය වෙළෙඳපොළට හඳුන්වාදෙන ලදී. ආරක්ෂිත විදුලි යටිතල පහසුකම් මඟින් මිනිස් ජීවිත, දේපළ මෙන්ම ගොඩනැගිලි හා පරිසරය ආරක්ෂා කිරීමට ලැබෙන පිටුවහල පදනම් කරගනිමින් දශක දෙකකට වැඩි කාලයක් පුරා මෙම නිෂ්පාදනය වැඩිදියුණු කර ඇත.

සෑමවිටම නව්‍යකරණයන් කෙරෙහි විශ්වාසය තබමින් කටයුතු කරන ACL, ඊට වසර 20කට පෙර ගිනි පැතිරෙන්නේ නැති වයර් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට හඳුන්වා දුන් පරිදිම ඉදිරියේදීත් තව තවත් පර්යේෂණ සිදුකර ඔබ වෙනුවෙන් නව නිපැයුම් ලබාදීමටද උත්සුක වෙයි.