Vusumuzi Dube
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
PLAYERS in the foundry sector have said the second edition of Zimbabwe Institute of Foundries (ZIF) Metal Casting Conference will be a critical platform engage over key issues affecting the sector and strategise on ways to unlock wider value chain opportunities.
The event which will be held in Bulawayo at Zimbabwe School of Mines from 10 to 11 November 2022, will be attended by local metal casting industry players and counterparts from Southern African Development Community (Sadc) metal players from Botswana, South Africa and Zambia, as well as India.
In an interview, Bulawayo based Foundry Company, National Metal Founders and Engineers’ logistics, procurement and materials manager Mr Tirivacho Tarubuda said they were looking forward to the conference.
“The conference will be a great opportunity to meet different industry representatives and experts. This will allow us to acquire different information ranging from the production processes in a foundry setup such as moulding, casting, how to reduce misruns and minimise blow holes on castings,” said Mr Tarubuda.
He said it was essential for foundries to get the requisite information on how to have a fine finish on their product and be able to produce appealing products in terms of quality and meeting international standards and specifies.
Mr Tarubuda said there was need for financial institutions to engage with players on how best they can assist them to retool and recapitalise such that they are able to harness their efforts and increase production.
“Foundries need to working together in collaboration with the Government to grow the sector this will in turn ensure that the country will be able to achieve an upper middle income economy as enshrined by Vision 2030.”
Mr Tarubuda said engagement with regional and other international players in the metal casting sector at the conference will aid local players to acquire much needed information that will see them boosting their productions.
He said the conference creates awareness at the same time allowing local players in the sector exhibit and market what they have.
“Some people do not know that they are producing products similar to those local companies are importing other countries. This is a platform to engage and know who is doing what and where.”
Engineer Aaron Mukuya from the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) who is also the chief executive officer (CEO) of Investcast Private Limited said event was key to the nation as it t would bring about most of the sectors that benefit from the foundry industry.
“These sectors include mining, agriculture, road construction, infrastructure development, engineering and transport among others. Most of the components they use are products from the foundry as they vary in their metal composition and structures,” said Eng Mukuya.
He said they were expecting a lot of players from the metal casting industry coming from Zambia, South Africa and Botswana among other countries to create strategic partnerships with local players.
Eng Mukuya said there was a lot of great opportunities in the country’s foundry as witnessed by the number of players who were joining the sector in the country.
“A lot of sectors in the country are importing their equipment which could easily be made locally. Foundries need to market themselves and prove that they are competent enough to make what is needed by the different sectors,” he added.
He said there was need for the players to engage students from higher and tertiary institutions that will see the development of new products using advanced technologies.
derick.khumalo
Online Reporter