Jeevan Gnanam, Executive Director, St Anthony’s Industries Group
Aquiet shift in global supply chains is redrawing the map for plastic processing, and Sri Lanka finds itself at a compelling crossroads. The country’s strategic location, neutral trade posture, and untapped potential in the industrial segment position it as one of the alternatives to China in global trade, provided the regulatory landscape evolves in tandem. Domestic demand is also surging, driven largely by the construction sector’s race for speed, cost-efficiency, and innovation.
Suppliers are under pressure to deliver more than just building materials as contractors, developers, and architects are increasingly searching for vendors who promise product availability and durability, and seamless after-sales support. Understanding that in today’s world, reliability isn’t a feature but a precondition, St. Anthony’s Industries Group has become the quiet force behind many of Sri Lanka’s most enduring builds.
St Anthony’s Industries is not merely a manufacturer of plastic and polymer-based building products. It is the legacy of three generations of industrial leadership in Sri Lanka, tracing its roots back to founder A.Y.S. Gnanam, whose reputation for quality, trust, and self-made entrepreneurship helped lay the foundation for the island’s industrial sector. What began in the 1960s as a transition from trading scrap iron to manufacturing building materials have since expanded into a diversified group with deep expertise in plastics processing and an unmatched presence in the local market.
“We have introduced a lot of new innovations in terms of new products like injection blow-molded tanks, PVC foam boards, and SPC flooring range in the Sri Lankan market”, says Jeevan Gnanam, Executive Director, St. Anthony’s Industries Group. “We are probably the first company to adopt some of the latest technologies, such as artificial intelligence for quality control, where 85 to 90 percent of items are quality inspected by using computer vision and AI”, Jeevan adds.
Product Integrity that Lasts a Lifetime
Durability is not left to chance at Anton PVC, it is engineered from design to dispatch. The company’s approach to quality is both deeply embedded and technologically forward. AI-powered computer vision flags the smallest deviation from tightly defined benchmarks. The firm has now begun to embed multi-agent AI systems across its workflows, from the manufacturing floor to sales, to create a self-improving, responsive enterprise.
This in-house technological backbone is complemented by specialized manufacturing techniques such as UV coating and hot stamping. These processes are not deployed as embellishments but as performance enhancers. For end users, a PVC board or a flooring panel from Anton PVC comes with built-in endurance, reflected in warranties extending up to a decade.
St Anthony’s Industries is not merely a manufacturer of plastic and polymer-based building products, it is the legacy of three generations of industrial leadership in Sri Lanka
Customer Timelines Drive Operational Decisions
It understands that delays are costly in construction, and contractors often require materials on short notice, with extended credit terms and zero tolerance for inconsistency. Recognizing this, the company’s AI agents enhance logistics coordination and responsive systems to anticipate and adapt to such variables. In addition, Anton PVC’s digital interfaces bring customers closer to the decision-making edge, tools that simplify selection, preview applications, and support on-the-go ordering. The idea is not to digitize for the sake of trend alignment, but to make it easier for clients to choose, trust, and transact.
This orientation toward client needs is inherited from the founder’s ethos and expressed today through sustained investments in in-house manufacturing and localized R&D. The company rarely outsources core functions, it prefers to control its processes to ensure accountability. Such vertical integration has also made it agile in adapting product designs to local climate conditions and construction methods.
Green Ambitions, Global Goals
Building on the strong domestic foundation, the company is now embarking on a bold new chapter by taking its legacy global. In the early phases of its international expansion strategy, Anton PVC is identifying key products for export while exploring opportunities to establish manufacturing facilities beyond Sri Lanka’s borders. Asia and Africa have emerged as primary targets, chosen for their growing infrastructure needs and robust development trajectories.
Many of the company’s offerings already carry green label certifications, affirming its environmental credibility. Meanwhile, significant strides are being made to reduce the carbon footprint of manufacturing processes. From integrating solar power into energy systems to prioritizing machinery with superior energy efficiency, Anton PVC is actively reengineering its production model to align with eco-conscious standards. Early-stage R&D is also underway on next-generation building materials that could potentially capture and store CO₂ within structural components.
This dual focus on growth and responsibility is also shaping the company’s product development roadmap. New lines such as SPC flooring are being introduced to meet evolving market preferences, while existing offerings like roofing solutions are being enhanced with advanced materials, including stone composites. Anton PVC is also venturing into adjacent sectors like insulation, leveraging its core expertise in plastic processing to diversify its portfolio. For builders seeking a partner rather than a supplier, one with the technological muscle and manufacturing reliability to back it, this Sri Lankan industrial powerhouse can be a name worth knowing.
🍪 Do you like Cookies?
We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Read more...