Chronicle Editor
BULAWAYO is slowly regaining its status as the country’s industrial hub as evidenced by the increasing number of companies that have been revived. Many of these companies are retooling and increasing their capacity utilisation.
Companies such as Treger Group of Companies, Archer Clothing, United Refineries Limited, Seppco, BMA Fasterners, Metal Founders, Datlabs, Zambezi Tanners, General Beltings and Arenel are investing a lot of resources in retooling in order to increase capacity utilisation.
Many of them have already reclaimed their export market share and are now earning the country the much needed foreign currency.
Bulawayo was the worst hit by de-industrialisation as many of its companies closed while others relocated to other cities and towns.
What exacerbated Bulawayo’s situation was that during this period of de-industrialisation, the city was facing acute shortage of water, forcing even the few companies that had survived to relocate to other cities and towns where they were guaranteed adequate water supplies.
The Minister of State for Presidential Affairs responsible for monitoring and implementation of Government programmes, Dr Joram Gumbo who last week toured the city companies, said it was pleasing to note that many companies in the city were retooling and increasing capacity utilisation.
He said the revival of Bulawayo industries was among the top Government priorities given the city’s strategic position in the region.
What is pleasing is the growing confidence in the Zimbabwean economy that has seen companies producing machinery and equipment that used to be imported.
One of the companies, Andglerenier Web Investments which is based in Bulawayo has started manufacturing graders which used to be imported thereby saving the country the much-needed foreign currency.
It is such aggressiveness that will see the country realising its vision of growing its economy to an upper middle-income economy by 2030.
Zimbabweans have every reason to celebrate as big companies continue to show confidence in the economy by investing in the country. Mining giant, Caledonia Mining Corporation recently listed on the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange (VFEX).
The challenge to local authorities is to continue working on improving service delivery and incentives to attract new investors.
Most of the cities and towns’ supply dams are full so local authorities have no excuse for failing to supply adequate water to industries.
Online Reporter