Ambeon Holdings

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Ambeon Holdings PLC
Formerly
  • Walker and Greig (1874-2007)
  • Environmental Resources Investment (2007-2013)
  • Lanka Century Investments (2013-2018)
Company typePublic
CSE: GREG.N0000
ISINLK0168N00001
Industry
FoundedDecember 29, 1910; 113 years ago (1910-12-29)
FounderJohn Walker
Headquarters
Colombo
,
Sri Lanka
Key people
  • Sanjeev Gardiner (Chairman)
  • Ajith Devasurendra (Deputy Chairman)
  • Sajeeva Narangoda (Executive Director)
RevenueIncrease LKR14,156 million (2022)
Increase LKR1,376 million (2022)
Increase LKR2,519 million (2022)
Total assetsIncrease LKR22,892 million (2022)
Total equityIncrease LKR10,623 million (2022)
ParentAmbeon Capital PLC
SubsidiariesSee text
Websiteambeonholdings.com
Footnotes / references
[1]

Ambeon Holdings PLC is a conglomerate holding company based in Sri Lanka. John Walker who established Walker Sons and Company is the founder of the company. In 1874, Walker founded Walker and Greig to supply agricultural machinery to plantations in the hill country. The company was incorporated in 1910 and in 1959, it was brought under Brown and Company. In 1970, the company was listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange.

When Lionhart Investment Limited acquired the company in 2007, operations under the new owners proved to be controversial. The Securities and Exchange Commission launched a probe into the company when a subsidiary of the company sold a platinum mine in South Africa at a profit. The directors of the company were fined for document falsification. Harsha de Silva accused the company and its parent of stock manipulation in the parliament in 2013. Taprobane Holdings, a consortium of Navitas Holdings, Galle Face Hotel Group and Hirdaramani Group, acquired the company in 2015. In 2018, the company was renamed Ambeon Holdings. Ambeon Holdings is one of the LMD 100 companies in Sri Lanka. The company is also one of the top 20 conglomerates in the country. Ambeon Holdings controls a number of notable subsidiaries including Ceylon Leather Products, Dankotuwa Porcelain, MillenniumIT ESP, and Royal Fernwood Porcelain.

History[edit]

Colonial origin and post-independence Browns subsidiary[edit]

John Walker, a Scottish engineer who established Walker Sons and Company is the founder of the company. In 1874, Walker established Walker and Greig in Badulla and Haldumulla to supply agricultural machinery to the plantations in those areas. With the growing importance of Haputale, the Haldumulla shop was closed, and a new shop opened in Haputale. The headquarters of Walker and Greig was moved to Slave Island, Colombo later. The Colombo headquarters extended over five acres.[2] The company was incorporated as a limited liability company in 1910. Walker and Greig Company was brought under Brown and Company in 1959.[3] The company was listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange on 1 January 1970.[1]

Lionhart acquisition and SEC probe[edit]

UK-based Lionhart Investments Limited acquired Walker and Greig in 2007 from Browns Group for LKR76 million.[4] The company was renamed Environmental Resources Investment PLC in the following year.[5] Environmental Resources Investment and Ceylon Leather Products acquired Dankotuwa Porcelain for LKR433 million in 2010.[6] In the same year, the Securities and Exchange Commission launched a probe into Environmental Ressources Investments for stock manipulation. A platinum mine in South Africa bought by a subsidiary incorporated in the British Virgin Islands was the cause of the investigation. Despite the company selling the platinum mine at a capital gain, the investigation continued by the Securities and Exchange Commission.[7] The UNP parliamentarian Harsha de Silva accused Lionhart of pumping and dumping in the parliament in 2013. Each of the directors of the company was charged with an LKR3.3 million fine for document falsification and non-disclosure.[8]

New ownership under Taprobane[edit]

The company's name was changed to Lanka Century Investments in November 2013.[9] Taprobane Holdings PLC, a consortium of Navitas Holdings, Galle Face Hotel Group, and Hirdaramani Group took control of Lanka Century Investments in 2015.[10] Lanka Century Investments acquired MillenniumIT ESP from the London Stock Exchange Group in 2017 for LKR1079.1 million.[11] In June 2018, the company adopted its current name, Ambeon Holdings PLC, while its parent became Ambeon Capital PLC. Collectively they are called the Ambeon Group.[12]

Operations[edit]

Ambeon Holdings and its parent Ambeon Capital both are LMD 100 companies. LMD 100 ranks Sri Lankan listed companies by revenue annually. Ambeon Capital and Ambeon Holdings are ranked 52nd and 53rd in its 2020/21 edition published in 2022.[13] Ambeon Holdings is one of the top 20 conglomerates in Sri Lanka by brand value.[14] Brand Finance calculates the brand value of Ambeon Holdings to be worth LKR3,224 million in 2019.[15] Ambeon Holdings sold its subsidiary South Asia Textiles to Hayleys Fabric PLC for LKR4 billion in 2021. Ambeon Holdings acquired South Asia Textiles in 2011.[16]

Finances[edit]

Ten-year financial summary
Year Revenue LKR mns Profit LKR mns Assets LKR mns Total equity LKR mns Net assets per share LKR
2022 14,155 2,519 22,892 10,623 24.99
2021 9,596 (2,103) 21,823 7,909 17.67
2020 10,554 409 24,462 9,775 22.88
2019 9,438 864 22,587 9,353 21.70
2018 4,528 681 20,187 8,893 21.96
2017 3,868 394 13,797 7,859 19.67
2016 3,098 (1,642) 13,063 7,392 19.21
2015 3,535 (58) 13,377 8,313 23
2014 3,799 (678) 12,332 8,356 20.98
2013 3,314 (226) 12,046 9,123 22.97

Source: Annual Report, 2021/22 (p. 143)[1]

Subsidiaries[edit]

Subsidiary Group holding Fair value LKR (mns) Activity
Ceylon Leather Products 99.90% 538 Manufacturing and retailing leather footwear
Colombo City Holdings PLC 77.63% 1,503 Real estate
Dankotuwa Porcelain PLC 77.51% 2,765 Manufacturing porcelain tableware
MillenniumIT ESP 60.75% IT solutions. A sub-subsidiary
Royal Fernwood Porcelain 74.17% Manufacturing porcelain tableware. A sub-subsidiary
Taprobane Capital Plus 100.00% 509 Investment management

Source: Annual Report, 2021/22 (pp. 99–100)[1]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Annual Report 2021/22" (PDF). cse.lk. Ambeon Holdings PLC. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  2. ^ Macmillan, Allister (1928). Seaports of India & Ceylon: Historical and Descriptive, Commercial and Industrial, Facts, Figures, & Resources. W. H. & L. Collingridge. p. 443. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  3. ^ Sirimane, Shirajiv (3 September 2002). "100 years in business: Browns-from bicycle repair shop to among top companies". Daily News. Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  4. ^ Edirimuni, Duruthu (8 July 2007). "Lionhart seeking more investments". The Sunday Times. Wijeya Newspapers. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  5. ^ Edirimuni Chandrasekera, Duruthu (16 March 2008). "Yenom awaiting class listing approvals". Sunday Times. No. 16 (42). Wijeya Newspapers. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  6. ^ Wijekoon, Channa Bandara (28 June 2010). "Dankotuwa Porcelain revives". Daily News. Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  7. ^ "SEC probe on ERI 'not over yet'". Sunday Times. Wijeya Newspapers. 30 January 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  8. ^ Hemmathagama, Ashwin (20 June 2013). "Tax haven Lankan accounts open can of worms in P'ment; UNP wants Select Committee probe". Daily FT. Wijeya Newspapers. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  9. ^ "Environmental Resources Investments changes identity". Daily Mirror. Wijeya Newspapers. 1 November 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2023 – via PressReader.
  10. ^ "Lanka Century Investments acquires enterprise solutions business of MillenniumIT". adaderana.lk. Ada Derana. 28 December 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  11. ^ "Sri Lanka's LCI buys MillenniumIT ESP from London Stock Exchange". Economy Next. Echelon Media (Pvt) Ltd. 28 December 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  12. ^ "Ambeon Group launched". Daily News. Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  13. ^ "LMD 100". lmd100.lk. Media Services Pvt Ltd. 2022. p. 76. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  14. ^ "Ambeon ranked amongst Best Conglomerate Brands in Sri Lanka". adaderana.lk. Ada Derana. 6 May 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  15. ^ "Sri Lanka 100 2019" (PDF). brandirectory.com. Brand Finance. 2019. p. 15. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  16. ^ "Hayleys buys textile firm from Ambeon for Rs. 4 b". Daily FT. Wijeya Newspapers. 24 April 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2023.

External links[edit]

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