Chinese eye Byo company

Prosper Ndlovu Senior Reporter
THE country’s leading newspaper publishing company, Zimpapers, in conjunction with Chinese investors, is working on bringing huge investment to Bulawayo targeting the revival of the now defunct Typocrafters into a modern printing firm that will tap into the local and regional market.

The Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Professor Jonathan Moyo, his deputy, Cde Supa Mandiwanzira, Zimpapers Chief Operating Officer and Editor-in-Chief Mr Pikirayi Deketeke, officials from the Chinese Embassy, visited the city yesterday and toured Typocrafters premises in Belmont to assess its suitability for the new deal.

During the tour, Chinese officials expressed satisfaction with the facilities and pledged to compile an urgent report to their Government recommending investing in Bulawayo.

Addressing the delegation at the company premises, Prof Moyo said the revival of Typocrafters was strategic in enhancing efficient production for the entire mainstream media fraternity in the southern region and broadening of local and regional commercial printing at large.

“The place appears like some ruins but the truth is that a lot of good business for Zimpapers used to come from here.  This is a good example of what happens if you allow technology to go ahead of you,” said Prof Moyo.

“What is important is that there is a bright future for this place. It is still suitable to house state-of-the-art printing equipment in the same manner with what is happening in Harare.

“The new printing press will be able to print Chronicle and Sunday News from here and other titles. It will also reach other markets, for example in Botswana and South Africa. We are also talking about printing commercially and this will create more opportunities.”

Prof Moyo said the move would reduce production costs for Zimpapers as it would be able to print The Herald and The Sunday Mail for selling in the southern region while Chronicle and Sunday News would also be printed in Harare.

He said the fruition of the initiative would not only improve economic efficiency of the public media but increase the spreading of information across the country.

“We have been engaging other media houses talking about the issue of sharing facilities and I have no doubt they will be interested in taking a look into this initiative.

“It will be good that we do not consider this as a Zimpapers facility but a national facility for the growth of all media houses. We are keen to move forward as soon as possible,” said Prof Moyo.

“This will make the papers reach out to all corners of the country, which is currently not possible but necessary given the importance of information. We prioritised this visit and we are grateful that you were able to come here.”

He instructed management to provide the Chinese officials with the required technical information and specifications and described the initiative as a fantastic move for Zimpapers.

Speaking after the tour, Chinese Embassy’s Economic Counsellor Mr Han Bing was satisfied with the facility, saying it was suitable to house modern equipment.

“We visited this site to see if it was suitable for the project of a new printing line. We will report back to China what we saw today and lobby our Government to consider investing here,” said Mr Bing who could not be drawn into disclosing the value of the proposed investment.

“We needed specifications about this place, its size, condition and design and we are impressed. The building itself is nice and the conditions are excellent and suitable for a modern company. It just needs a few renovations.”

Cde Mandiwanzira said the scope of the proposed investment shows the Government’s commitment towards reviving industries, particularly in Bulawayo.

The proposed investment by Zimpapers comes as a relief to Bulawayo, where about 100 firms have closed in the last decade.
The demise of the city’s industry has left thousands of workers jobless.

“This reflects a lot of things that we have been talking about concerning revival of industry, especially in this part of the country.
“It shows our commitment to revive Bulawayo industry and Matabeleland region as a whole,” said Cde Mandiwanzira.

Mr Deketeke said the company has been engaging Chinese investors for a long time seeking partnership for recapitalisation.
“We have been talking to China in the past under the Government to Government co-operation and they have expressed interest in giving us a grant or interest free loan,  which will be facilitated to us in the form of a new printing press,” said Mr Deketeke.

“This is a ghost that needs to be revived and we will revive it and have a fully fledged factory. This visit is part of that engagement process and it has not been finalised. We are happy that they have seen our facility and they are impressed with it.”

At the moment Typocrafters lies desolate with mounds of obsolete equipment and disused offices. Part of the building has been leased to a departmental store, Fazak, and Sunset Milling Company on an annual contract.

Zimpapers Bulawayo branch general manager Mr Marks Shayamano and incoming Chronicle editor Mduduzi Mathuthu were also part of the delegation.

Later on the delegation visited the Zimpapers Bulawayo branch where they assessed the printing press. Prof Moyo said the printing equipment at the branch was old and needed to be replaced.

He also said there was a need to give a facelift to the entire building.