New lease of life for timber plant

Manicaland Bureau
A CONSORTIUM of local investors is seeking Government approval to take over the Forestry Commission-run Forest Industries Training Centre (FITC) plant in Mutasa with a view of reviving the factory. The factory, which has capacity to employ at least 200 people when running at full capacity, has been lying idle for almost a decade due to financial constraints.

In an interview with The Herald, chairman of the consortium Mr Walter Nyaungwa said they had approached several banks with a view to securingfunding for the project once they got approval from Government.

“FITC is a timber company specialising in plywood. It’s currently just lying there and we want to take over and start producing for the export market,” he said.

“We already have several banks lined up who are willing to partner with us once we get the necessary approvals.”
Mr Nyaungwa said the investors were contemplating to invest about $500 000 in the factory.
He said the factory was already equipped with machinery.

“With the equipment that is already in the factory, we will just need to add a bit more equipment to complement what is already there,” said Mr Nyaungwa.

He said Government needed to expedite the process of approving the project, which had been in the pipeline for almost a year and a half.

“We need Government, through the esteemed Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate, to urgently look into our proposal so that we can set the ball rolling and maximise on the opportunities that the new dispensation has presented to investors,” he said.