Asahi Dyes and Chemicals Opens US$20.4 Million Manufacturing Facility in Sri Lanka
Asahi Dyes and Chemicals SL (Pvt) Ltd. has opened a US$20.4 million advanced manufacturing facility at the Biyagama Export Processing Zone (BEPZ) in Sri Lanka, creating 281 direct employment opportunities.
The facility is a strategic partnership between Japan’s Asahi Dyes and Chemicals Co., Ltd. and Sri Lanka’s Asons Ltd. It will manufacture textile dyes, printing chemicals and finishing chemicals for the textile and apparel industry, with products targeted at export markets across Asia and Southeast Asia.
The investment is expected to support the vertical integration of Sri Lanka’s apparel sector by enabling local production of internationally certified specialty chemicals. It will also help reduce import dependence, improve supply-chain efficiency and strengthen the export competitiveness of the country’s textile industry.
Asahi Dyes and Chemicals, established in 1932, specializes in specialty chemicals for applications including sulfur chemistry, pharmaceutical intermediates, electronics and high-performance textile dyes. The Sri Lankan facility is expected to bring Japanese manufacturing technology, engineering expertise and international quality standards to the local industry.
The facility has been developed in line with LEED v4 BD+C green-building standards and incorporates water conservation, energy optimization, advanced wastewater treatment and carbon-emission reduction measures.
The project also has a technology connection with Italy-based Tonello, a specialist in garment washing, dyeing, finishing and sustainable textile-processing solutions. The investment is expected to facilitate technology transfer, develop local technical expertise and strengthen Sri Lanka’s position as a competitive and sustainable manufacturing hub in South Asia.