Between 1865 and 1892, the partnership successfully acquired many important agencies for Coal, Insurance and Steamships. In 1882 they were made agent for The Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, forming a relationship that still continues more than a hundred years later.
In 1872 E.T. Delmege became the Consular Agent for the United States.
Unfortunately the Delmege brothers fell out and in 1892 A. Forsyth joined E.T Delmege and formed Delmege Forsyth & Co. This Company represented the Russian, Spanish and Portuguese Consulates and the Asiatic Petroleum Co. which was later to become The Shell Company of Ceylon. Company activities centred around the import and distribution, of Australian flour, sugar from China and Java and salt from Port Said. Distribution was effected by establishing an island wide network of distributing agents. This network still persists up to the present day - a century later.
Delmege has the distinction of pioneering the use and distribution of cheap Kerosene oil for home lighting. Until this time village houses were solely dependent on coconut oil for illumination.
Today, Delmege Forsyth & Co Ltd, a member of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce for more than a hundred years has become a widely diversified Group of Companies.
While retaining and expanding their original business of imports, the Group has diversified into exports, airline services, travel, freight forwarding and more.
The Delmege Group has firmly established itself as an integral part of the Sri Lankan economy and strives to maintain this position, while continuing to seek opportunities for growth and development with both local and international partners.
The offices and warehouses of Delmege Forsyth & Co. Limited stand on 2 acres of prime property in the heart of the city of Colombo.
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