Southern Group holds a larger purpose. Rooted in heritage and innovation, our ‘One Family’ culture and global network are anchored in a commitment to help the world Thrive for Better.
Southern Group’s restless spirit of entrepreneurship and heritage has built a diverse group of companies, underpinning our collective growth. We are dedicated to blending Sri Lanka’s rich legacy with world-class innovation to create lasting value across our engineering, agriculture, and consumer sectors. Our ‘One Family’ culture drives us to set regional benchmarks while expanding our global footprint.
Together, we are paving a legacy where every community can truly Thrive for Better.
Pioneering national infrastructure through advanced manufacturing, structural precision and world-class standards.
Empowering 4,000 farmer families through sustainable agriculture and eco-friendly innovation from field to cup.
Expanding the tourism footprint of Sri Lanka through high-end hospitality and curated premium travel experiences.
Delivering unblended Single Garden Teas globally with absolute trust, ethical traceability and consistent quality.
Modernizing heritage brands like DI Leather to provide premium footwear and specialized innovative technical gear.
Southern Group was founded on the belief that true progress is measured by the lives we touch. From our fields to our factories, we strive to blend Sri Lanka’s rich heritage with world-class innovation to create lasting value.
Our ‘One Family’ philosophy is our greatest strength. As we expand our global footprint, our commitment remains unchanged: to lead with purpose and ensure that our collective efforts empower every community to Thrive for Better.
Founded by Thilak Maliduwapathirana, who left a career at the Bank of Ceylon to work in the UK and earn the necessary capital to start his own business in Sri Lanka. With the investment, he purchased two lorries in the UK, which served as the stepping stones for MPTS.
The group began its journey with the founding of Southern Group Engineering in 1978. Since this time, the group has pioneered infrastructure development with unwavering integrity and precision. Over four decades, it has established a robust presence as a diversified conglomerate across engineering, agro, export, and leisure sectors.
This marked the opening of the group's first tea factory, focusing on cultivating and processing premium Ceylon teas from state-of-the-art facilities.
Serving as the group's tea export arm, it delivers Ceylon’s finest products globally, specifically focusing on unblended ‘Single Garden Teas’. The operation is built on absolute trust and ethical traceability across markets including the USA, Canada, Australia, Iran, and Malaysia.
Recognized as the first privately owned CTC Tea Processing Factory in the country, utilizing world-class systems like Kaizen and JIT to ensure constant quality improvement.
The group expanded into the leisure sector to grow the tourism footprint of Sri Lanka. This division focuses on providing high-end hospitality and curated premium travel experiences to showcase the country's heritage to the world.
Southern Group strategically acquired the legendary DI Leather brand (originally established in 1939). This acquisition integrated 80 years of craftsmanship legacy into the SG "One Family" culture, with plans to modernize the heritage brand through specialized innovative technical gear and premium footwear.
Inspired by our founder’s unyielding spirit, we embrace challenges with determination, consistently pushing beyond conventional boundaries to achieve our dreams and redefine industry standards.
Aligned with our motto, “The race for quality has no finish line,” we relentlessly pursue the highest standards in all facets of our operations, from product development to service delivery, leveraging world-class systems like Kaizen, JIT, and 5S.
We consider our approximately 500 employees our greatest asset, fostering a culture where every individual is treated as part of the larger Southern Group family. We prioritize their well-being, growth, and satisfaction, which is reflected in our remarkably low attrition rates and the longevity of our team.
Our commitment extends beyond profit; we are deeply rooted in environmental responsibility and community upliftment. Through initiatives like the CT Foundation, we actively support small-scale farmers and engage in community development, ensuring our growth creates a positive, lasting impact.
Our culture is built on the foundation of People-Centricity. We view our team of approximately 300 professionals as our greatest asset, fostering an environment where every individual is treated as a valued member of the larger Southern Group family.





Southern Group is driven by a larger purpose. By empowering 4,000 farmer families and nurturing eco-friendly innovation, our global operations are anchored in a commitment to help both people and the planet Thrive for Better.