The Brandix factory in Punani, located in the conflict-recovering eastern district of Batticaloa,

The Brandix factory in Punani, located in the conflict-recovering eastern district of Batticaloa, is looking at doubling export output this year. The factory, yet to be given a name, has been in commercial operation since December last year. Brandix officials say the ‘Punani Project’ is performing well, although the group is experiencing a drop in export orders because of the global recession.

“We are currently producing 20,000 – 30,000 pieces of boys’ denim pants for a European buyer. We are looking at increasing output to about 50,000 – 75,000 pieces by about August-September this year,” the General Manager of Brandix Intimate Apparel, Theodore Gunasekera, told the Sunday Times FT on the sidelines of a press conference with the UNHCR last week. The country’s biggest apparel exporters called a press conference on Thursday to explain its involvement with UNHCR in assisting resettlement of displaced people.

However, the Brandix Punani Project is a separate, Rs 250 million investment by Brandix Lanka, made at the invitation of the government, to help generate jobs in the war-ravaged East. At the moment the factory employs around 220 people from all three ethnic communities.

A majority of the workers are women from families that were displaced due to the conflict and include about 40 rehabilitated ex-LTTE cadres.