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Natasha
Natasha
Jun 23 2026
56The Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Quality and Productivity (SLAAQP) successfully hosted the National Convention on Quality and Productivity (NCQP) 2026 on 17th June at the Mount Lavinia Hotel, Colombo. The event brought together over 2,000 delegates from more than 100 organisations, making it the largest edition of the convention to date.
Held under the theme “People-Driven Quality and Productivity for a Resilient Sri Lanka,” NCQP 2026 highlighted the critical role people play in driving organisational excellence, innovation, and long-term competitiveness. The convention recognised the efforts of 450 improvement teams representing a diverse range of industries. These teams were awarded gold, silver, and bronze awards under several categories, including Quality Control Circles, Lean Six Sigma, Quality Improvement Teams, Cross-Functional Teams, and Kaizen.
The chief guest at the event was Mr Magala Wijesinghe, Chairman and CEO of the Export Development Board. Dr Sanjaya Rathnayake, Group Chief Executive Officer of Lanka Hospitals PLC, and Prof. Theekshana Suraweera, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI), graced the occasion as guests of honour.
The event also featured the presentation of the prestigious Mr Sunil G. Wijesinha QC Circle Excellence Award, the highest honour of the convention, to two improvement projects selected as the best projects of the year. This year, the awards were presented to Team ThreadX from MAS Bodywear Casual Line Division and the Saviya Team from Elastomeric Engineering (Pvt) Ltd.
Sajeewa Ranasinghe, President of SLAAQP, stated: “Over the years, NCQP has evolved into one of Sri Lanka’s most important platforms for sharing best practices, recognising excellence, and promoting continuous improvement. The strong participation witnessed this year reflects the growing commitment across sectors to quality, productivity, and organisational excellence as key drivers of national development.”
Speaking at the event, Sakunthala Goonethilleke, Chairperson of NCQP 2026, said: “NCQP 2026 reaffirmed the importance of empowering people to drive quality and productivity initiatives within their organisations. The enthusiasm, innovation, and commitment demonstrated by the participating teams showcased the tremendous potential that exists across Sri Lanka to build a more resilient and competitive future.”
Established in 1996 as the successor to the Quality Circle Association of Sri Lanka, which was founded in 1989, the SLAAQP is a non-profit organisation committed to advancing quality standards, operational efficiency, and business excellence across the country. For more than three decades, SLAAQP has championed the national quality and productivity movement by equipping professionals and organisations with globally recognised methodologies, including Quality Control Circles (QCC), Kaizen, Lean Six Sigma, Total Quality Management (TQM), and other continuous improvement practices.
Through flagship initiatives such as NCQP, the Ayano TQM Excellence Award, the Green Productivity Awards, and its annual international research conference, SLAAQP has helped build a nationwide platform for recognising excellence, sharing knowledge, and encouraging organisations to adopt structured approaches to improvement.
As a globally connected organisation, SLAAQP maintains partnerships with leading international bodies, including the Asian Network for Quality (ANQ), the International Convention on Quality Control Circles (ICQCC), the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE), and the Dr. Mikel J. Harry Six Sigma Management Institute Inc. (SSMI) of the United States. These partnerships continue to connect Sri Lankan organisations and professionals with global best practices, international learning opportunities, and emerging methodologies in quality and productivity.
NCQP 2026 was supported by MAS Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, Vibrant Events (Pvt) Ltd, Gislaved Gummi Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, GPV Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, Dr Mikel J. Harry Six Sigma Management Institute Inc., TV Derana / Ada Derana, Nations Trust Bank, M & R Consolidated Private Limited, Lanka Hospitals Corporation PLC, and Sunshine Holdings PLC. Their contributions helped make the largest-ever edition of the convention a success.
