About Us

Company Approach

N. Vaitilingam & Co (Pvt) Ltd is the mother company of the group. We improve and sustain employee livelihoods and nurture communities, whilst working determinedly to identify and minimize the environmental impact of our operations and products.

Our customers are our pride; a global team distinguished by passion and drive for excellence. Our lean driven, empowered and people centric culture facilitates innovation throughout the value chain.

Market leader of forefront of roofing, building materials and hardware industry in Sri Lanka for over 100 years under the market leading brands "RIVER" & "THORN". Servicing prestigious customer base drawn from leading private institutions, NGOs, government, and the plantation sector.

Vision

To be the nation's most reliable supplier, manufacturer, distributor, service and solution provider in the builders hardware industry.

Mission

To supply high quality builders hardware products, providing related service and solutions to customers, dealers and distributers nationwide, utilising innovative technologies within an environment of motivated employees focused on continual improvement, highest business standards, work ethics and leading to added value to our customers and sustained return on investment to our shareholders.

1922

Company Formation

It was the year 1922 in the first quarter of the 20th century, a year where Mussolini seized power in Italy, the Irish Free State was established, Egypt was granted limited independence by the British, the US launched the first naval aircraft carrier and Qantas airlines began its first scheduled air service in Australia. In the same year, a young entrepreneur named Nagamuthu Vaitilingam decided to venture into the world of business, giving up a lucrative career at a leading British establishment. A proprietorship under the name of N. Vaitilingam & Co. was established in Colombo, trading in estate supplies, building and hardware products. The company was located on 3rd Cross Street in Colombo 11. A few years later a branch was set up in Jaffna. The branch was run by his son-in-law Mudaliyar V. Mahesan. Around the same time the company expanded into a sheet metal workshop and undertook building contracts in the northern peninsula. The Telecommunications Building, Paranthan Chemical Corporation and the Jaffna Kachcheri were built by the company.
1955

Changed to limited liability 

In 1955, 33 years after venturing out and seven years after the country got independence, the proprietorship was converted to a limited liability company. Vaitilingam's eldest son V. Balasubramaniam was appointed the first Managing Director along with a younger son V. Mahendrarajah and V. Mahesan as directors and the founder as the Chairman.
1960

Barbed wire manufacturing

1960 saw the establishment of the first industrial venture of the company - a barbed wire manufacturing plant in Colombo. This is still a flagship product with Thorn Brand barbed wire being a market leader.
1964

Additional Factories

1964 Four years later, a rivet and wood screw factory was set up.
1967

Agreements with Co-operates

1967, a joint venture was signed between Marubeni Steel Corporation, Kawasaki Steel Corporation of Japan and the company to build a galvanising plant in the country. This was set up as a pioneering venture.
1969

Formation of CGI

1969 Ceylon Galvanizing Industries Ltd. was a sequel to this and a steel galvanising facility was built in Ratmalana. The then Minister of Industries Philip Gunawardena presided at the opening ceremony in 1969. That year, the first locally galvanised steel rolled out of the plant. N. Vaitilingam & Co. held a controlling interest in Ceylon Galvanizing Industries Ltd. Galvanised sheets are marketed under the River Brand, a well-known name in Japan and Sri Lanka.
1970

Sales & Head Office Outlets

In the mid-1970s, construction of a sales outlet and head office began. The company moved to its present head office at Bloemendhal Road in 1978.
1978

Formation of Yala Safari Beach Hotel

1978 Around the same time, Yala Safari Beach Hotel - a 50-room hotel at the entrance to Yala National Park - was built. A car hire business was also a part of this as tourism was doing well. Due to civil unrest, the hotel was sold in 1982. However, the company continues to have investments in the hospitality industry.
1980

Formation of N.V Housing

The mid-1980s saw the establishment of a property development company. It concentrated on building individual homes.
1982

New Warehouse

In 1982, a new warehouse was constructed abutting the head office in Colombo. A wire nail making plant was also set up. The company had sizable investments in a few leading mercantile banks, an office workspace development company and the hotel industry. It continues to invest in the equities market with a substantial portfolio of investments. Investment income contributes to a large share of the company's revenue.
1990

Formation of TinPak (Pvt) Ltd

In 1990, a metal can making company was formed to buy into a small manufacturing plant in the outskirts of Colombo. Today TinPak Ltd. is a leader in the metal packaging industry, with a large portion of its output in direct and deemed exports. A few years later, investments were made in a filter and composite can making business.
Currently the N. Vaitilingam Group has several manufacturing plants in Ratmalana, Homagama, Colombo, Ja-Ela and Minuwangoda under its umbrella. Steel in various forms - hot rolled, cold rolled, galvanized, electro galvanized (zinc coated), zinc aluminium and colour bonded - are imported by the company to manufacture and add value to a range of end products like galvanised steel roofing, colour bonded roofing, zinc aluminium sheets, cladding, purlins, ceilings, gutters and accessories, hoop iron, box bars, tubes and pipes. Mild steel wire rods are also imported to manufacture nail wire, galvanised wire and stirrups. These products are commonly used in construction.
N. Vaitilingam & Co. Ltd. is the holding company of the following organisations in the group: Ceylon Galvanizing Industries Ltd., NV Housing Ltd., TinPak Ltd., and Micro Auto Products Ltd.
2021

Wire Galvanizing Plant

In early 2021, the company acquired a controlling stake in a wire galvanising plant. As the second largest wire galvanising plant in the country, it will supply the group's requirements of galvanised wire. The company sells its core products through dealers and stockists countrywide. It has sales outlets at Old Moor Street and the present head office in Colombo as well as in Ratmalana and Vavuniya.
2022

Celebrated 100 Years