BIZ

Epic Lanka unveils digitalization strategy beyond 25 years with 20 innovative products 

Published

1 year ago

November 10, 2023

editor

Epic Lanka, a wholly Sri Lankan-owned fintech and digital transformation solutions provider with a quarter-century of experience in the IT industry, recently marked the momentous occasion of their 25th anniversary.

This milestone underscores their enduring commitment to excellence and their significant contributions to the field of financial technology. Evolving from its roots as a project-driven entity, Epic now boasts a remarkable portfolio of 20 unique Intellectual Properties (IPs).

Positioning itself as a formidable player in the global IT arena, these IPs will be promoted in foreign markets through strategic partnerships with other leading software brands, further solidifying Sri Lanka’s reputation as an IT knowledge and solutions hub.   Over the past 25 years, Epic has employed a workforce of more than 6,000 employees, predominantly consisting of local IT graduates, while also providing opportunities to over 3,000 interns.

The industry leader of domain expertise, innovative solutions by Epic have modernized state enterprises, transformed the payments landscape. Considering the scope and influence, it’s estimated that Epic’s solutions and innovations have a direct or indirect impact on the daily lives of all Sri Lankans.

Moreover, Epic’s expansion into East Asia has seen the company provide its cutting-edge solutions to foreign clients, reinforcing its position as a global leader in the industry. In recognition of its outstanding contributions, Epic was adjudged as the best ICT solutions company in Sri Lanka and also won Sri Lanka’s first-ever Gold award at the Asia Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA) Awards. These accolades underscore the company’s commitment to excellence and innovation.  Epic’s product solutions portfolio encompasses a range of impressive offerings, each catering to specific business needs. For instance, PreveNET NAC stands out as a multifunctional and dependable solution, assisting organizations in their transition from hardware-based Network Access Controllers (NACs) to a more versatile software-based alternative. Meanwhile, Collectmate provides a comprehensive and holistic approach to managing end-to-end tasks and processes within the realm of debt collections and recoveries. Doxmate, on the other hand, offers an enterprise content management and business process automation solution, featuring document management systems and workflow solutions. Paytect is a fully-fledged card management system that facilitates the entire spectrum of card issuing, acquiring, and transaction processing functions while Digiface emerges as a digital onboarding eKYC and vKYC solution, developed by Epic, offering a comprehensive approach to streamline digital onboarding processes across various banking products while ensuring compliance with pertinent regulations. These solutions collectively contribute to enhancing operational efficiency and addressing the evolving needs of businesses in today’s digital landscape.

For a quarter-century, Epic has been at the forefront of technological innovation in Sri Lanka. Dr. Nayana Dehigama, Epic Technology Group Founder and Executive Chairman reflects on this remarkable journey, stating, ” We recently commemorated the 25th anniversary of Epic as it embarks on a transformative journey. From humble beginnings, we have now emerged as a leading force in enterprise digital transformation. This milestone is a result of the dedication, passion, and expertise of our exceptionally talented team, who consistently push the boundaries of what can be achieved. They have enabled us to deliver cutting-edge solutions that have positively impacted the lives of Sri Lankans.

“Epic Lanka Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Viraj Mudalige, shares his vision, stating, “Our Research and Development centre in Sri Lanka that is equipped with advanced technology has played a key role in nurturing an innovative culture, leading to the development of cutting-edge solutions that have earned us many national and international awards.”Looking ahead, Epic remains committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation and delivering exceptional value to its stakeholders. Mudalige elaborates, “We are actively pursuing opportunities to expand our global presence and introduce our outstanding solutions to markets beyond Asia. Our primary objective is to maintain our influence in shaping the future of the global fintech industry. With 20 proprietary products in our portfolio, we are transitioning from project-based ventures to building a comprehensive suite of cutting-edge software solutions. As we look ahead to the next financial year, Epic envisions forging strategic partnerships with software companies and nations worldwide to bring our ambitious goals to fruition. Epic Lanka is set to redefine the IT landscape, both in Sri Lanka and on the global stage.

“Founded in 1998, Epic Technology Group is an award-winning regional technology leader in adopting and delivering modern technology across the Banking, Financial Services, and Government sectors in local and international markets. Equipped with ISO 9001:2015, ISO 27001:2013, PCI3DS, and CMMi Level 3 certification, Epic has more than 25 years of experience in Fintech, information system security, enterprise digitalization, mobile applications, e-payment application development, e-government solutions, and document management systems. .

For more information, please visit www.epictechnology.lk.

BIZ

Car giant Ford & Barbie maker Mattel warn over tariffs costs

Published

4 days ago

May 6, 2025

editor

Barbie maker Mattel says it will put up the prices of some of its toys in the US as President Donald Trump’s tariffs increase its costs.

The firm also says it will cut the number of products it makes in China for the American market.

At the same time, car making giant Ford says the levies will cost it about $1.5bn (£1.13bn) this year.

They join a growing list of big businesses warning about the impact of US tariffs on their companies and the wider economy.

“Given the volatile macroeconomic environment and evolving US tariff landscape, it is difficult to predict consumer spending, and Mattel’s US sales in the remainder of the year and holiday season,” Mattel said as it updated investors on its financial performance.

The US accounts for about half of Mattel’s global toy sales. It imports around 20% of its goods sold there from China.

The company said it plans to reduce those Chinese imports to the US to below 15% by next year.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has imposed new import taxes of up to 145% on goods from China.

His administration said last month that when the new tariffs are added on to existing ones, the levies on some Chinese goods could reach 245%.

China has hit back with a 125% tax on products from the US.

Apart from China, Mattel imports products – including Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels cars – from Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

The three countries were also hit with steep tariffs by Trump in April, before they were paused for 90 days.

Last week, Trump acknowledged the potential impact of tariffs. American children might “have two dolls instead of 30 dolls”, he said, but added that China would suffer more than the US.

Carmaker Ford said it expected tariffs to add $2.5bn to its overall costs this year, mainly due to the increased expense of Mexican and Chinese imports.

But the firm said it had cut about $1bn of those added costs by taking various measures, including transporting vehicles from Mexico to Canada to avoid US tariffs.

The firm also suspended its annual earnings guidance to investors because of uncertainty around Trump’s trade policies.

In April, firms including technology giant Intel, footwear makers Adidas and Skechers, and consumer goods group Procter & Gamble detailed the impact of tariffs on their businesses.

“The very fluid trade policies in the US and beyond, as well as regulatory risks, have increased the chance of an economic slowdown with the probability of a recession growing,” Intel’s chief financial officer David Zinsner said during a call with investors.

Sportswear giant Adidas warned tariffs would lead to higher prices in the US for popular trainers, including the Gazelle and the Samba.

The finance chief of footwear firm Skechers, David Weinberg, told investors: “The current environment is simply too dynamic from which to plan results with a reasonable assurance of success.”

And Procter & Gamble – which makes Ariel laundry detergent, Head & Shoulders shampoo and Gillette shaving products – said it was considering changes to its prices to make up for the extra cost of materials sourced from China and other places.

(BBC News)