The British Ceylon Corporation Lanka’s (BCC) record breaking success has been plastered all over the news. Condemned to be dismantled and sold, the hundred-year-old company is being revived by a dedicated group of citizens.
The Sunday Observer recently visited the BCC’s main operation in Mill Street, Colombo 12.
The BCC’s big metallic tanks stuck out from the forest of antennas and satellite dishes in Aluthkade, far in the distance, the Supreme Court’s pagoda-roof pointed up to the cloudless skies. Opposite the tanks was the main office building.
The national and company flags fluttered proudly in the breeze, a testament to the endurance Sri Lankan industries have shown down the years.
BCC Lanka’s new Chairperson Prasanga Perera, has over thirty years’ experience in production and retail working in top multinational corporations, he also has over eight years of experience in oil and fat products for the last eight years.
Getting things back online
BCC Chairman Prasanga Perera
“I understood that the BCC was dysfunctional when I took over. So the first thing I did was speak to every single person working here and gauged their challenges because we can’t build a business without tackling challenges,” he said.
The challenges were tackled in a three-step process – building a proper system, ensuring job security and creating a proper operational-distribution network. Empowering workers was a main factor in BCC’s resurgence, he said.
Two months ago, BCC Lanka, currently under the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development was condemned as a loss-making burden for the State. Perera credits an action plan for its recent turnaround.
“We are producing goods that are essential to the country. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s vision is producing locally, to be used locally and shipped overseas,” he said and added that the BCC was able to broaden production by three-fold, thanks to a proper action plan with the assistance of relevant ministries.
BCC Lanka’s current product folio includes cooking oils, soaps, detergent, and industrial and domestic cleaning agents.
BCC’s cooking coconut oil is popular among consumers and comes in two varieties, White Cooking Oil and Cooks Joy. “What makes BCC’s products different is that we don’t use chemicals or artificial additives using traditional methods of purifying coconut oil. And no matter how much coconuts went up in prices, we never compromised on the quality of our products,” he said.
When asked how the company is planning to drive the company forward, Perera said, “First was placing workers in the right capacity and producing quality, marketable products. Second was identifying the dearth in the market and producing affordable, locally-made product,”
An industrial museum
The BCC product range
But the revival is not limited to products alone. The Chairperson and Board of Directors want to use BCC Lanka’s real estate value as well. An old mansion built during the British Colonial era is being slated to be turned into a commercial property to attract visitors capitalising on Aluthkade’s popularity for street food.
Calling BCC Lanka an industrial relic is a misnomer. It is a functioning museum of industry. Some of the century-old equipment at the BCC’s Colombo warehouses are still in working condition and we saw one factory produce ‘Sovereign bars’. Surplus warehouses have been rented out to various businesses. The BCC and Government are planning to re-acquire the entire compound and utilise all resources towards generating profits in the heels of this recent success.
Decades back, the BCC was at the Beira waterfront and the goods would go into barges that transported them to ships waiting at the port.
One of the steam trucks owned by the original British company is housed at the BCC Lanka’s main factory in Nittambuwa, Wathupitiwala, in the BOI Free Trade Zone.
The steam truck is apparently still in working conditions and a collector had offered four Benz cars to trade the antique.
Marching forward
This February, BCC Lanka hit its highest sales figure, Rs. 121 million which the company said it owed to the unity and talent of its workers. At the start of 2025, the company was facing a frightening Rs. 148 million in outstanding debts, but its sales were only Rs. 50 million at the time. “Today, as per the agreement between our company and our buyers, only the loans related to the approved loan period remain outstanding. That is, the current outstanding amount is 68 million,” the BCC’s release said.
The company’s latest product is pure oil for lamps. Over the years, many Buddhist devotees were faced with the problem of offering profaned oil since lamp oil manufacturers were caught cutting corners by using discarded oil. The BCC lamp oil will hit stores on April 1 and is certified all organic and free from animal products.
In terms of quality, the BCC ensures control in all steps of the process starting from procurement. The Chairman said that Sri Lankan coconut oil is in high-demand overseas because coconuts here are grown in organic soil. “Although we have very limited resources, we make sure every batch is tested by our in-house lab,” he added.
Soap packaging in progress
BCC Lanka soaps are also a class of their own. The company produces soaps in high TFM (Total Fatty Matter) which is an indicator in soap quality. BCC’s high TFM soaps have a higher shelf life compared to its competitors and use far less chemicals. The BCC also manufactures “Soft soap” that has industrial applications like removing grease. The company currently manufactures products for over 100 industries including healthcare and hospices.
“I expected running a State Corporation would be difficult. After meeting the Board of Directors and workers, I realised that every person here had a hidden talent but didn’t have the right opportunity to make it shine. As we discovered this hidden potential a new Board of Directors gave me immense help, alongside Minister Sunil Haddunhetti and Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe who helped form this team,” Perera said.
BCC Lanka is currently getting calls from several foreign investors and the company is negotiating with them. “Soon enough, our proud logo would be seen in supermarket shelves, the world over”.
Despite its tumultuous past, BCC Lanka has proven that resilience, vision, and strategic leadership can bring even the most beleaguered enterprises back to life. With a dedicated workforce, a revitalised product line-up, and ambitious plans for expansion, the company is once again a pillar of Sri Lanka’s industrial sector. As it continues to grow, BCC Lanka not only aims to reclaim its former glory but to carve out a new legacy—one that stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of Sri Lankan enterprise. If its recent success is any indication, the BCC is well on its way to securing a bright and sustainable future.
