CMC Engineering Export GmbH – Colombo: Four Decades of Building International Partnerships for Sri Lankan Industry
A trusted Melchers partner driving industrial growth in Sri Lanka
Since beginning operations in Sri Lanka in 1979 as a licence office for Melchers, CMC Engineering Export GmbH – Colombo has grown into one of the country's most established industrial solutions providers. As a branch office of C. Melchers GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Bremen, Germany, CMC Engineering carries forward the Melchers philosophy of building sustainable business relationships by pairing international expertise with deep local market knowledge.
Over the past four decades, the company has continuously expanded its capabilities, evolving from a trading-focused organization into a comprehensive industrial solutions provider offering machinery, cleaning and sanitizing chemicals, technology, technical services and after-sales support across a diverse range of industries.
The company's growth has been marked by several important milestones. In 2015, CMC Engineering underwent a significant transformation from a medium-scale to a large-scale operation based on business growth and turnover, and was recognized as one of the best branches within the Melchers Group. Since then, the company has continued to expand its portfolio, technical capabilities and geographical reach.
Today, CMC Engineering employs approximately 135 people, including more than 35 BSc/BA graduates and NDT-qualified professionals. Its experienced technical workforce includes more than 45 qualified engineers, supported by professionals trained at leading technical institutes in Sri Lanka and through overseas manufacturer training programs.
Supporting Industries Beyond the Sale of a Machine
CMC Engineering's strength lies not only in the international brands it represents, but in the local capabilities built around those partnerships. The company supports customers throughout the entire lifecycle of their investments, from consultation and project planning to installation, commissioning, training, troubleshooting, maintenance, warranty services and spare-parts supply. Its engineering team is equipped to respond to machine breakdowns, undertake repairs at customer sites and provide technical assistance with minimal disruption to ongoing production. A dedicated workshop at the company's premises further supports major repairs and component-level work.
This approach reflects an important principle behind CMC Engineering's business model: supplying the machine is only the beginning of the relationship. Rather than simply acting as an importer or machine seller, CMC Engineering works to become a long-term technical partner to its customers. This is particularly important in Sri Lanka, where the availability of reliable after-sales service, spare parts and technical expertise can have a direct impact on production continuity.
The company's portfolio today spans food processing, packaging, plastics, printing and coding, hospitality, laboratory solutions, pharmaceuticals, seed processing, dehumidification and drying, warehouse solutions and, most recently, aviation components.
A Diverse Portfolio of Long-Term Partnerships
CMC Engineering's portfolio has been shaped through long-term and, in many cases, exclusive partnerships with internationally recognized manufacturers. These relationships have allowed the company to introduce advanced technologies to Sri Lanka while developing the local technical expertise required to support them.
VEMAG and the Growing Food Processing Portfolio
Food processing is one of the strongest areas of CMC Engineering's business, supported by a growing portfolio of complementary technologies.
The company's exclusive partnership with VEMAG, which commenced in 2018, provides Sri Lankan food manufacturers with advanced meat and bakery processing equipment. The partnership has developed a strong customer base among leading food processors, including Keells, Cargills, Pussella, Lihini Seafood, Gills International, Jaya Farms and Caravan Fresh.
The relationship also extends beyond equipment supply. VEMAG engineers provide technical assistance when required, while CMC Engineering's service engineers receive specialized training at VEMAG's facilities in Germany. This combination of international manufacturer expertise and local engineering capability allows CMC Engineering to provide customers with comprehensive support throughout the lifetime of their equipment.
The food-processing portfolio has continued to expand with complementary technologies. CMC Engineering represents LIMA, a partnership dating back approximately to 2008, for meat deboning and separation systems, while Holac, represented since 2023, adds specialized cutting solutions. More recently, partnerships with Viscoteepak, Mimasa, GernosNess and S.A.M. have further expanded the company's capabilities into food packaging, crate washing, smoking and slicing technologies.
The partnership with Seydelmann, established in 2024, further strengthens this offering with advanced bowl cutters, grinders and emulsifiers for the meat-processing industry. A notable project has been the supply of a complete grinding, mixing and emulsifying line for Pussella Meat, demonstrating CMC Engineering's ability to deliver integrated processing solutions rather than individual machines.
Haitian – More Than 500 Machines Supporting Sri Lanka's Plastics Industry
Another example of a long-standing technology partnership is Haitian, which CMC Engineering has represented since 2005.
Over the course of the partnership, more than 500 Haitian injection moulding machines have been delivered to Sri Lankan manufacturers, establishing a significant installed base across the country's plastics industry.
Among the customers are D.R. Furniture with 58 machines, Atlas Axillia with 30, OREL with 23, SPI and Ruby Plastics with 18 each, Phoenix with 16, and Mainetech with 14 machines.
The scale of these installations reflects more than the demand for competitive injection moulding technology. CMC Engineering's local service capabilities, technical expertise and access to spare parts provide manufacturers with the ongoing support required to keep their production operations running reliably.
Domino – Driving Technology Adoption and Resilience
As a key partner of Domino Printing Sciences in Sri Lanka, CMC Engineering provides advanced coding, marking and traceability solutions to manufacturers across the country.
Domino's portfolio covers technologies including continuous inkjet, thermal inkjet, laser coding, thermal transfer and print-and-apply solutions, supporting applications across food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, industrial manufacturing and other sectors.
CMC Engineering was recently recognized by Domino as a Growth Partner, reflecting a CAGR above 6% over five years and the successful adoption of new technologies in the Sri Lankan market.
The company was also recognized as a Resilience Partner, acknowledging its strong business performance through major challenges including extreme currency depreciation, severe shipping disruptions and limited availability of foreign currency through central banking channels.
These recognitions reflect the strength of the partnership and CMC Engineering's ability to continue developing the market even during periods of significant economic uncertainty.
Ecolab – Supporting Hospitality and Food & Beverage Industries
Another key partnership is with Ecolab, a globally recognized provider of water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions.
CMC Engineering serves major hotel chains, restaurants and food and beverage processors throughout Sri Lanka, providing solutions for areas including kitchen hygiene, cleaning, laundry and food-processing applications.
The partnership extends beyond supplying chemicals. CMC Engineering works with customers to understand their operational requirements and provides technical and application support to help improve hygiene standards, operational efficiency and resource management.
This approach is particularly important in Sri Lanka's growing hospitality sector and food-processing sector, where consistent hygiene, food safety and efficient use of water and chemicals are critical to daily operations.
PETKUS – Supporting Sri Lanka’s Seed Processing Sector
In agriculture, CMC Engineering has represented PETKUS since approximately 2002/2003, supporting Sri Lanka’s seed and grain processing sector with advanced machinery, complete processing lines, technical assistance and training.
The partnership has contributed to both government and private-sector projects. For the Department of Agriculture, CMC Engineering has completed approximately 100 seed-processing projects, with a further five projects currently ongoing. In the private sector, CMC Engineering has supplied complete seed paddy processing lines to Araliya Group’s Lakbima Rice Mills, while another seed paddy processing line for Nipuna Rice Mills is currently ongoing.
Through these projects, CMC Engineering combines PETKUS technology with local project management, installation, commissioning, training and after-sales support, helping customers develop reliable seed-processing capabilities while strengthening Sri Lanka’s agricultural infrastructure.
Building Capabilities Across Other Industries
CMC Engineering's partnership with Bry-Air, established around 2022/2023, provides dehumidification and drying solutions to industries where humidity control is critical. Customers include pharmaceutical and manufacturing companies such as Synergy Pharma, Navesta, Perfetti Van Melle, Ace Pharma, Sand Active and Kandy Delight. The offering is supported by after-sales service, warranty support and readily available spare parts.
The company's pharmaceutical portfolio has also expanded through partnerships such as Accupack, represented since 2023, supplying blister packaging machinery to pharmaceutical manufacturers including SPMC, Astron, Ace Pharma and Pharmachemi.
In printing and graphics, CMC Engineering has maintained a partnership with Phoenix for approximately 35 years, supplying printing blankets. Phoenix's operations are now part of the Continental Group, demonstrating the ability of CMC Engineering's partnerships to evolve alongside global industry changes.
Meanwhile, Variovac, represented since 2024, strengthens the company's vacuum packaging solutions for food-processing applications, while the broader packaging portfolio enables CMC Engineering to support manufacturers from individual packaging machines to more comprehensive production solutions.
Expanding Beyond Colombo
CMC Engineering's growth has also been accompanied by an expansion of its physical presence and customer engagement.
In January 2025, the company opened its Kandy Experience Centre, strengthening its ability to serve customers in the Central Province and surrounding regions with faster access to machinery solutions, technical discussions and localized support. The expansion reflects the company's broader strategy of bringing its capabilities closer to customers across Sri Lanka.
CMC Engineering has also maintained an active presence at major industry exhibitions including Profood Propack Agbiz, Hotel Show Colombo, Lankapak, Complast, Jaffna Trade Fair, Batticaloa Trade Fair and other sector-specific events for many years. These exhibitions provide opportunities not only to showcase global technologies but also to engage directly with manufacturers and understand emerging market requirements.
The company is now taking another step forward with the development of a new office building, designed to accommodate additional employees, increase warehouse capacity and provide the infrastructure required to support further business expansion.
Building Sustainable Growth Through Partnership
CMC Engineering's journey over the past four decades is ultimately a story of partnerships – with global manufacturers, Sri Lankan industries, customers and, most importantly, its people.
From a liaison office established in 1981 to a 135-person organization with a diverse portfolio of international agencies, a growing regional presence and an expanding technical infrastructure, CMC Engineering has continuously adapted to the needs of the Sri Lankan market.
Its strength lies in bringing together different capabilities: European technology, Asian manufacturing expertise, global supplier networks and a deep understanding of local industries. But equally important is the commitment to supporting customers after the sale – through engineering expertise, training, spare parts, troubleshooting and long-term relationships.
With the Kandy expansion, a new office and warehouse facility under development, and new opportunities emerging, CMC Engineering is continuing to build on its four-decade foundation.
CMC Engineering welcomes opportunities to collaborate with global technology providers, manufacturers and industry partners seeking a reliable local partner to develop and grow their presence in Sri Lanka. Get in touch with our team today to discover how Melchers in Sri Lanka can support your business.
German 
English 