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already seen its business booming.
Delta chairman Mr Canaan Dube told guests at the commissioning of the firm’s new sparkling beverage plant in Graniteside last Friday that the investment capital of US$200 million was being spent over a three-year period.
“Delta has approved US$200 million for investment into capacity growth over a three-year period, with around US$80 million having been pencilled in for the current fiscal year,” he said.
According to Delta chief executive Mr Joe Mutizwa, the company plans to spend US$78 million to expand operations in the full-year to March 2012, up from the initially budgeted US$67 million.
The company has already spent about US$60 million on major investments such as the installation of a US$14 million PET line in July last year and a new US$12,9 million bottling line at Southerton last December.
In addition, there was a US$14,6 million packaging line at the Belmont plant in Bulawayo in February this year.
Other investments this year include the establishment of a carbon dioxide processing plant in March, and a new 14-tonne boiler at the Bulawayo plant, among others.
The new US$13 million Graniteside sparkling beverages plant is the latest investment by the company, amid indications that plans are underway to establish a fifth bottling plant at Southerton.
The plant has a capacity to produce 600 000 hectolitres per annum, which, Mr Dube said, will boost the total national capacity to 2 million hectolitres.
Zimbabwe has a per capita consumption of around 14 litres per annum (for beer excluding sorghum beer) and 11 litres per annum (for sparkling beverages), which are low by developing world standards, which yields extensive growth potential for Delta in view of its capacity growth.
Officiating at the event, Industry and Commerce Permanent Secretary Mrs Abigail Shonhiwa said the ministry was appreciative of Delta’s role in boosting industrialisation.
“We commend efforts by Delta to ensure that the economy continues on an industrialisation path, especially in Bulawayo where some companies have been facing closure,” she said.
Delta recently received four awards from Zimra in recognition of the company’s significant contribution to the country’s fiscal revenues.
Online Reporter