The manufacture of ready - made garments for export was another industry that saw a meteoric rise in this same decade. The government actively supported this growth industry, with opportunities for overseas investment under the arrangement of a Board of Investment. The BAM Holdings Limited launched their first apparel factory - Colombo Garments Ltd. in 1980. This facility was expanded in 1982, wit
h the incorporation of Miami Exports (Pvt) Ltd. Since this time, the company has been earning an excellent reputation for reliability. This is reflected in the quality of the products and in the timeliness of the deliveries to our clients overseas. In addition to Garments, the BAM Holdings Limited has acquired other business skills with methodical and modern approaches to Management and Training. The company is still under the guidance of its founding father of the Group Chairman Mr. Mahipala. In 1985, the company embarked upon the manufacture of Printed Plastic Film with the formation of Thermo Plastics (Pvt) Ltd. In 1988, natural rubber latex came into the portfolio of the Group’s business interests with major investment in a glove manufacturing factory, which was exporting their product. The names of the companies in this area of interest are Hanwella Rubber Products Ltd., Lanka Gloves (Pvt) Ltd. and Quality Latex Products. Another indigenous natural resource that has proved to be a perennial export product, namely gems, was the foundation for the setting up of factories in Sri Lanka for the cutting and polishing of rough diamonds for re-export. The government of Sri Lanka actively supported this industry and the BAM Holdings Limited was quick to get on board. It was in 1990, that Benlanka Diamonds (Pvt) Ltd. was set up as well as Quality Diamonds & Jewellery Pvt. Ltd.
