'Clamp brake on illegal copper exports to India' 

By Ifham Nizam-October 6, 2014

'The government should clamp a brake on illegal copper exports to India, to save millions of rupees in foreign exchange, says a top businessman with a sound Research and Development background.

Orange Electric Managing Director Kushan S Kodituwakku told The Island Financial Review that loads of copper are being exported to India at a cheap rate and in turn when importing, they have to pay a higher price.

Kodituwakku said President Mahinda Rajapaksa himself intervened and took action to put an end to the illegal business, however, some illegal operations are continuing.

Earlier last week a team of journalists was taken to the Orange Electric manufacturing outfit in Meegoda to witness its sustainability journey; in putting into operation a state of the art copper recycling plant that can process all the copper waste available here.

Though the factory has the capacity to recycle some 200 metric tonnes of copper, currently its doing with 100 metric tonnes.

Kodituwakku says that their recycling system has the capacity to process the scrap into 99.98 per cent pure high grade copper.

The ISO certified Orange factory at Meegoda produces electric cabling that meets the highest international standards.

He says the plant has the capacity to recycle the entire 200 metric tonnes of copper scrap, which, if accessible to them, would meet more than 20 per cent of our cable requirement.

However, he believes if the authorities, particularly the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, could put the much needed regulations in place to control these illegal exports, they could push for further improvement.

'Having copper wire produced through recycled material, could be close to saving USD 16 million per annum, says the man who has a workforce of nearly 1,500.

Orange Electric are also the pioneers in the whole of South Asia for recycling mercury in CFL bulbs and their safe disposal. They have even shared their expertise with Portugal by setting up a recycling plant in that country.

The Orel Corporation, who owns the brand Orange, is currently engaged in the business of manufacturing, exporting and importing world class electrical products, including switches and sockets, CFL lamps, low voltage switchgear, Alpha cables, electrical accessories. Their production range includes more than 4000 electrical items and have invested some four billion rupees in the past 20 years.