Colombo Commercial Company was founded in London in the year 1872 by an Engineer John Burn who was setting up its Branch in Colombo, Ceylon. Since the year 1872, up to 1976, over a period of 100 years this company was managed and administered by the Britishers from their head office based in London.

Mr. Burn has gained considerable experience in Coffee planting and opened up his business in Colombo on premises namely “Ackland House” a ground covering 13 Acres at Slave Island, Colombo 02.

Ackland House No. 25, Lilee Street, Colombo was the Head Office of Group of Companies of Colombo Commercial Company Ltd until the year 1976.

According to the Ferguson’s Directory of 1965 the company dealt in Estate Management, Fertilizer, Tea, Insurance, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering and were agents and Distributors of about fifty foreign companies. The group of Colombo Commercial Company constituted the tea subsidiary companies. Ackland Investment & Finance Co. Ltd,C.C.C. (Eng)Ltd, C.C.C. (Teas)Ltd,C.C.C.(Fer.)Ltd, Colombo Commercial Agencies Ltd, Colombo Commercial Contract Ltd,Ceylon Manufactures & Merchants Ltd, Heavy Equipment Ltd,Hunas Falls Hotel Ltd, Essential Oils Ceylon Ltd.

In 1976, The Colombo Commercial Company Ltd (CCC) with its Head office in Ackland House and Branch offices in Badulla,Hatton, Kandapola,Kandy and Rathnapura was taken over by the Government under the business (Acquisition) Act No.35 of 1971.

Colombo Commercial Company was accepted as one of the best private sector organization in the country until it was nationalized in the year 1976.After the acquisition of the group of Colombo Commercial Company in the year 1976, the Colombo Commercial Fertilizers Ltd was under the direct supervision of the Line Ministry and the purview of the General Treasury of Sri Lanka.

During the year 1989 this company was converted under the public company Act No.23 of 1987 and re-named as Colombo Commercial Fertilizers Ltd. The total share capital of CCF Ltd was 10,000,000 shares at Rs. 10/= each amounting to Rs. 100,000,000. Thereafter Colombo Commercial Ltd was privatized during the year 1994 and 90% of the shares were transferred to the private management and keeping the remaining 10% share with the General Treasury with the intention to transfer to the employees CCF Ltd was again re-vested in Government in the year 1997 under the Rehabilitation of Public Company Act No.29 of 1996. Subsequently in the year 2011, Colombo Commercial Fertilizer Ltd has been registered under the new company Act No.7 of 2007.

The Land located adjoining to the Hunupitiya Railway station belonged to the Colombo Commercial Company (Fertilizers) Ltd which was used as tea demonstration plot. During the year 1962 part of this land was. taken over by the Government to establish a Government owned Ceylon Fertilizer Corporation. The Rubber demonstration plot of CCF Ltd was taken over by the UDA for the town development purpose and presently having a Public Reception Hall, Library Medical Clinic, commercial complex, Vegetable Market, Samurdhi bank, Police Post & Children park for use of people of Hunupitiya.

The company is presently under purview of Ministry of Agriculture and managed and Administrated by Chairman and Board of Directors from June 2011.

Presently, the Colombo Commercial Fertilizers Ltd is one of the two state owned organizations engaged in whole sale distribution of quality chemical fertilizers to the farmers in Sri Lanka and assisting to the growth of the agriculture economy of the country.