Splash Paints to invest $3m in Mat’land

Oliver Kazunga
Senior Business Reporter
SPLASH Paints and Pipes plans to invest $3 million in Matabeleland in the next five years on the back of infrastructural development projects under Zim-Asset, an official said yesterday.The company’s director for Bulawayo Johnson Mangwiro told Business Chronicle on the sidelines of the launch of one of the company’s shops in the city that their long-term plan was to spread wings into Matabeleland region on a much larger scale. The latest stockist in Bulawayo was opened amid a stampede as residents scrambled to have a glimpse of one of the world’s tallest men Billal Heyder from Pakistan.

At the moment, the group, which is headquartered in Harare has distribution centres across the country.
“We’ve an intention to expand our operations into Matabeleland region and within the next two years we’re looking forward to setting up a half a million dollars paint manufacturing plant in Bulawayo.

“We’re at the moment working on modalities to set up a manufacturing plant so that we create jobs in Bulawayo. In the next five years, we’re looking forward to investing $3 million in Matabeleland and part of the investment will go towards our expansion projects in Gwanda, Beitbridge, Victoria Falls and Plumtree,” he said.

The region has a lot of potential taking into consideration a number of housing and infrastructural development projects set to take off as a result of Zim-Asset.

“Zim-Asset is targeting 350,000 housing units and part of those houses are in this region and as a result, we see light at the end of the tunnel as the construction industry booms.”

In a separate interview, Splash Paints managing director Anis Patel said his company sees a lot of potential in Bulawayo.
“This potential needs to be enhanced through local support. Why should people import when the products are manufactured locally?
“We’ve great potential. We manufacture all kinds of paints ranging from  decorative to industrial. We also produce PVC pipes, plumbing fittings, tile adhesives, fillers and colour tinters among others,” said Patel.

He said they had brought Heyder as a way to amplify their marketing strategy.
“We’ve brought Heyder at this new branch official opening because we need a famous person like him for us to get publicity of our products and the business,” he said.