Manhize enters cement production

Patrick Chitumba

Midlands Bureau Chief

ZIMBABWE is set to boost its cement production as the giant Dinson Iron and Steel Company (Disco) plant in Manhize expands its production portfolio to manufacture up to 400 000 tonnes of cement annually, a move aimed at deepening the country’s drive towards value addition and full utilisation of steel by-products.

The company continues to invest in the massive project, with the planned cement plant expected to use by-products from steel production as raw materials, further enhancing the integrated nature of the operation.

Increased cement production buttresses the growing construction sector under the Second Republic, where the Government and private sector are leading major public infrastructure projects such as roads, schools, clinics and hospitals, as well as massive housing development.

Meanwhile, Phase Two of the Dinson Plant project is expected to commence production of bolts, nuts and mesh wire before the end of the year, broadening the range of downstream products manufactured at the Manhize complex.

Zimbabwe is already saving thousands of dollars annually on steel imports since the company became operational.

Disco’s expanded portfolio, which includes pig iron, steel billets, and deformed bars, positions the company as a key supplier to downstream industries.

Once fully operational, Disco is set to become one of the largest steel producers in sub-Saharan Africa.

The company’s project manager, Mr Wilfred Motsi, revealed this on Wednesday while addressing journalists who are part of the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services media tour covering development projects in the Midlands Province.

“Plans are underway by Disco to start cement production in October this year. We are looking at the production of 400 000 tonnes annually and it’s on schedule,” he said.

“The primary steel and iron-making by-product used in cement is steel slag, specifically blast-furnace slag, among others.”

Mr Motsi said they were currently generating about 70 megawatts of electricity from two sources.

“The first is thermal energy, with coal as the source of fuel. The second utilises heat and gases from the steel plant to heat water, which produces 40 megawatts,” he said.

“We have sufficient energy even for other players. We are in the process of synchronising to feed excess power into the national grid. We will be supporting the national grid.”

Mr Motsi said the investment is ongoing as the project is still in the development phase.

In terms of employment, he said 60 percent of the workforce are locals who have benefitted from on-the-job training, adding that soon they will be tested to get proper qualifications for the jobs they were trained to do.

“We have conducted on-the-job training. We want to certify them; 60 percent of the trainees are from the local area, while 40 percent are from across the country and tertiary institutions,” he said.

Mr Motsi said the company is also constructing an access road to the mine site and is working towards completing the road by the end of August.

He said before the end of the year, the company will enter phase two of production.

“The plant will produce pig iron and steel billets, wire rods for various wire products, and rebar as a structural base for reinforcement. It will also produce angle irons and other steel products, as well as slag for cement production,” Mr Motsi said.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary, Mr Nick Mangwana, said while the ministry was aware of media coverage, more needs to be done to tell the Disco development story.

“The Dinson story has been spoken about. We don’t believe it has been told enough because something new is happening every day,” he said.

Mr Mangwana said the 800-hectare Special Economic Zone can benefit more than 300 downstream companies that can be manufacturing products such as fencing, roofing, fabrication, foundries, and other related industries.

“Disco is producing slag, ash and other by-products, and a lot of companies should be leveraging the presence of Dinson.

Dinson is already manufacturing its products, yet local industry is sleeping,” he said.

“Where are the entrepreneurs who are supposed to manufacture other products such as fencing, just like in Kwekwe where we had companies that benefitted from the existence of ZISCO? It should be the same here. There are a lot of incentives that come with Special Economic Zone status.

“Of course, there is the story of employment creation and the US$100 million import substitution. Where we were supposed to spend US$100 million importing steel products, we are now channelling that money into importing something else. It’s a good story and we need to tell that story.”

Mr Mangwana said the media should also amplify new products or developments such as the production of the pig iron and mash wire plant and a cement manufacturing plant, for example.

“It’s the first of its kind and the people should read and see such developments in the media,” he said.

Dinson chief executive officer, Mr Benson Xu, said a lot of change is taking place at the Manhize Steel Plant since the commissioning of the project by President Mnangagwa two years ago.

“You can see a lot of products being churned out. We have started delivering products to the domestic market and for export as well.

“Since we started production, we have produced pig iron, steel billets, and rebar, among others,” he said.

Mr Xu said the first phase of the project saw the production of various products and distribution of the said products to clients, not only in Zimbabwe but in the regional market.

This, he said, means that Zimbabwe no longer needs to import steel products.

“So, we are talking about the import substitution agenda. We work closely with the Government of Zimbabwe. They give us support to achieve this success, and we are grateful to the Government,” he said.

Mr Xu said the company was aligned to NDS1 and is now contributing towards NDS2 and the industrialisation agenda in line with Vision 2030.

“We are playing our role as a steel manufacturing company. With steel, logistics, and power generation, we are happy to be a major player.

“This is a Special Economic Zone and we want to see more products and more players coming in. We are inviting industrialists, both local and foreign, to come and benefit from the Special Economic Zone status that we have,” said Mr Xu.

The Manhize Steel Plant is set to become one of Africa’s largest integrated steelworks.

Disco is one of the Zimbabwean subsidiaries of Tsingshan Holding Group, the global stainless-steel powerhouse headquartered in China.

Tsingshan also operates Dinson Colliery in Hwange, Matabeleland North, and Afrochine Smelting in Selous, Mashonaland West.

The media tour continues today with visits to other development programmes in Zvishavane, Shurugwi and Kwekwe.