Approaching the conclusion of its 140th year of business in Sri Lanka, leading diversified multinational conglomerate, Hayleys PLC announced the launch of a limited edition commemorative stamp in celebration of nearly a century and a half of outstanding business excellence.

Hayleys Group Chairman and Chief Executive Mohan Pandithage was joined by the company’s top management and senior representatives of Sri Lanka Post at a special ceremony hosted at Hayleys’ Dean’s Road Head Office to unveil the new 140th anniversary commemorative stamp.

Commenting on the landmark event, Pandithage said: “In an increasingly digital world, a postage stamp can seem to younger generations to be somewhat of a relic of an older time. Yet for over two centuries, the postal stamp has played not just a functional role but also an important symbolic one. A postal stamp represents a visual canvas that promote national tradition, achievement, and character. In the Sri Lankan context, these are aspects which the Hayleys Group has become intrinsically bound up in.

“Even today, postal stamps hold a connection to our collective past, and serve as a reminder of the distance we have travelled as an organization and a nation. We are therefore deeply humbled by the launch of a stamp that commemorates the proud 140 year legacy of excellence that Hayleys PLC has achieved and at the conclusion of this year, we as an organization recommit ourselves to these same values that have built our success, and we look forward to striving for even greater heights in the years to come.”

Established in 1878 by Chas. P. Hayley, a British entrepreneur in Galle, the company at its inception served as a trading house for the import of valuable goods and export of locally produced goods such as spices, coir yarn and essential oils.

Over 140 years, the Hayleys Group has grown with a global presence of manufacturing and marketing offices across five regions with business interests spanning a total of 16 sectors. Today, it stands out as one of Sri Lanka’s most prominent success stories, having been the first listed Sri Lankan corporate to surpass $ 1 billion in revenue and accounting for 3.3% of the Nation’s total export earnings.