German investor to set up chlorine plant

Midlands Bureau
A German company, Thyssen Krupp, is set to construct a chlorine plant in Redcliff for the production of chemicals for water purification and industrial use. The company will be the latest project set to benefit from the opening of ZimCoke Pvt Limited which recently assumed ownership of a coke battery within Ziscosteel.

Thyssen Krupp, which is already partnering ZimCoke in the refurbishment of the coke ovens, are set to construct the plant within the coking company once it starts production.

Speaking during the commissioning of ZimCoke Plant in Redcliff recently, Industry and Commerce Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said the plant would rely on electrical energy from ZimCoke and salt from Botswana.

“I am advised that recent discussions with German giant Thyssen Krupp have suggested that the two companies might consider building a plant on this site to produce chlorine for water purification and industrial use,” he said.

“The basic raw materials for this would be Botswana for salt, while they rely on electrical energy from ZimCoke.”
Minister Ndlovu said the construction was set to commence soon after the beginning of operations by ZimCoke. Besides being considered as the first steps to the resuscitation of Ziscosteel, ZimCoke has breathed life into some companies in and around Redcliff. Zimchem, Hwange Colliery, National Railways of Zimbabwe, ZINARA as well as local authorities are some of the entities set to benefit, directly or indirectly, from the opening of ZimCoke.

ZimCoke is also set to construct a water treatment plant that will solve the perennial water problems in Redcliff.
Redcliff Town Clerk Mr Gilson Chakauya said the move was a welcome development as it goes a long way in solving the town’s perennial water challenges.

“For us, it’s positive in many ways, the major one being new investment and solving of water problems,” he said. “For us as a council, we are happy that in all the investments they are targeting to solve our perennial water challenges that we have been faced with for all this while.

“The chlorine plant supports the water treatment plant that ZimCoke promised to help us construct.”